After the Fall
by TheJiffyLube6
Summary: After the Daxamites leave Earth, Kara and Lena are left to figure out where to go from here, realizing the answers may have been staring them in the face the entire time. Looking back at where they've come from may be just what they need to move forward together in this unchartered territory. SuperCorp fic set after S2 finale with flashbacks to several S2 episodes.
1. Be Not So Fearful

_Disclaimer: I do not own or profit from Supergirl or its plots or characters._

 ** _Chapter One: Be Not So Fearful_**

* * *

The midmorning sun filtered through the floor-to-ceiling glass windows in Lena's office, filling the room with natural light, but the brunette hardly noticed. She had been staring blankly down at the finance report in her hand for the better part of an hour. No matter how hard she tried she couldn't seem to force her mind to focus on the graphs and figures on the stark black and white pages in front of her.

No, her thoughts were far from work; stuck in the clouds with a certain superhero and the guilt that wracked her still. It hadn't even been a week since the Daxamites retreated into the sky and Lena's vain attempts to get back to business were failing miserably. On a typical day, she would throw herself into her work; partly to distract herself from the trouble in her personal life and partly because, aside from her misguided family, Lena didn't really have much of a personal life… aside from Kara.

But today, all she could think about was how incredibly foolish she had been to associate with Rhea. Several glasses of scotch over the last few nights hadn't brought her any peace either. She prided herself on her intelligence and her ability to make calculated decisions, yet she had allowed her emotions to blind her to Rhea's true intentions. Her desire to develop technology that could potentially save hundreds of thousands of lives and possibly change the minds of the public about the Luthor name had been so strong that it overshadowed everything. Paired with her so called, "mommy issues," Lena had opened herself up to be manipulated by the first supposed mentor that had walked into her life. A mistake that could have destroyed the entire Earth, or at the very least caused it become, "New Daxam," but worse, it put Kara in danger.

Lena's jaw clenched and she swallowed hard against the lump that had suddenly formed in her throat at the thought of Kara in harm's way... even if she was Supergirl… especially because she was Supergirl.

Lena Luthor was a lot of things but she wasn't a fool, despite what her most recent choices may have made her feel like. She had known for quite some time that Kara was Supergirl. No matter how hard the reporter had tried to keep her identity a secret, Lena had seen right through those thick-rimmed glasses to the tell-tale blue eyes underneath.

She couldn't really pinpoint the exact moment she realized it, but any doubts she may have harbored were long gone, particularly after all of this with the Daxamites. She supposed a big part of it was something about the way Kara made her feel safe and worthy of trust, something no one else in her entire life had made her feel. It was the same way she felt during the brief moments she was around Supergirl.

Still lost in the endless pathways of her mind, Lena 's tangential thoughts turned to happier memories, and she couldn't help but smile to herself, remembering the first time she laid eyes on Kara Danvers…

* * *

 _Lena placed one high-heeled shoe out of the black town car only to be greeted by two strangers, reporters by the looks of them with their thick-rimmed glasses and notepads. She sighed in frustration; was one day without the press in her face asking for too much? Apparently so._

 _One of her body guards, Christopher, made to shield them from her as her chauffeur, George, held the car door open for her. As she stood up fully and smoothed the wrinkles from her skirt, Lena took the opportunity to study the pair, who could have been related they were dressed so alike. But her eyes were instantly drawn to the woman._

 _Her dirty blonde hair was pulled back into a neat ponytail and she was dressed in a plain white dress with a thin belt, modestly covered by a blush-colored cardigan. A little taller than Lena, she stood slightly behind the male reporter but even from the slight distance Lena could see the sky blue eyes piercing through those lenses. Something in those eyes pulled her in instantly and it took her a moment to realize the man in front of her had begun to speak from behind Christopher. Lena tore her eyes from the blonde only to have a slight chill run through her._

 _Clark Kent… better known as Superman… was standing in front of her. The alien that had had put her brother in prison for 32 consecutive life sentences. She hoped she was able to hide the swell of anger that rose in her with a false smile, something she had been taught to do her entire upbringing._

 _Of course she knew Clark Kent was Superman. She was a Luthor after all, no matter how hard she tried to escape it. Amongst the files she had inherited when she took over LuthorCorp she had discovered the one on the big, blue boy scout._

 _"Ms. Luthor, we just wanted to ask you some questions about the Venture explosion," Mr. Kent repeated so she nodded to her body guard, making a quick decision._

 _"It's all right, Christopher," she assured the man, who backed off a bit then but kept close enough to intervene if necessary. As if he would be able any match for Superman, should the alien actually want to harm her._

 _"May we have a few minutes of your time for an interview?" it was the soft voice of the woman this time, and Lena's eyes were drawn back to her in time to see her anxiously adjusting the glasses on her face. She was a little more cautious knowing who she was dealing with now, but nevertheless she nodded her head towards the skyscraper beside them._

" _I have a flight in thirty minutes, so if you can walk and talk then by all means," she replied, the smile still plastered on her face but slightly less forced after responding to the blonde._

 _She strode purposely into the building, hearing the steps of the two reporters behind her. Various employees opened doors for her and the elevator was waiting for her but numerous times she had to tell her staff that the two reporters were with her and did not need to go through the security precautions. She figured that if Superman was going to harm her then he certainly wouldn't try to sneak in a gun or a bomb._

 _The ride in the elevator was mostly filled with small talk and disingenuous pleasantries from Mr. Kent, but when they arrived at her top-floor office, the conversation turned to business._

 _"What we are really here for is why you had a ticket aboard the Venture, but didn't show at the last second?" Mr. Kent questioned, seemingly done playing nice._

 _Lena mentally rolled her eyes. When she had heard about the near miss she had experienced by deciding to forgo her trip, she was relieved but hadn't anticipated so much suspicion would be thrown her way. But she couldn't say she was truly surprised._

 _"There's a perfectly reasonable explanation for why I wasn't aboard the Venture yesterday," she replied shortly, making her way into her office._

 _"That's why we're here," Mr. Kent shot back quickly, making a futile attempt to appear unbiased._

 _"There was an emergency regarding the planning for a ceremony I'm holding tomorrow," she explained, matter-of-factly, hanging up her coat and purse before continuing, "I'm renaming my family's company and I had to cancel."_

 _"Ah, lucky," came the sardonic response from Mr. Kent and she couldn't stop the humorless chuckle that escaped her lips as she brushed her hair out of her face. Feeling like testing the boundaries a bit, she fired back just as quickly,_

 _"Lucky is Superman saving the day." As she turned back towards the two reporters, Lena gauged both of their reactions simultaneously: the woman quickly turned her face away to look at Mr. Kent who just chuckled as well, looking down briefly before looking up at her. She could see the arrogance there, not even entertaining the idea that Lena Luthor knew his secret identity._

 _"Not something one expects a Luthor to say," Mr. Kent was trying to push her buttons but she refused to take the bait. She was about to open her mouth to respond when the woman chimed in,_

 _"Supergirl was there too!" This statement drew Lena's attention back to the pretty blonde, a brief thought that her statement and the way she presented it was odd, but deciding to mentally file that away for later. Right now, she felt she needed to be on the defensive despite the way those blue eyes held no accusation, only curiosity. The woman definitely gave her pause, but she refused to let her guard down fully._

 _Noticing the shift in conversation, Lena took the opportunity to stride past them to pour herself a glass of water, cutting closer past the blonde and flashing her a smile on the way. It probably was more friendly than she had intended it to be._

 _"And who are you exactly?" she asked, keeping her tone even despite the warmth that was spreading in her chest from when she had looked at the female reporter. A flurry of pressured words spilled from the woman making Lena feel a little guilty for flustering her._

 _"I-uh-I'm Kara Danvers. I'm not with the Daily Planet. I'm with CatCo Magazine…sort of." Lena had her back turned, setting down the water pitcher, but she could hear the woman's confidence, or lack thereof, dwindling as her sentence drifted to a close._

 _"That's a publication not known for its hard-hitting journalism," she responded, looking back at them as she made her way towards her desk, "It's more like, 'High waisted jeans: Yes or No?'"_

 _A small twinge in her chest told her that she may have hurt Kara's feelings with her jab at CatCo but she kept that hidden as the blonde replied,_

 _"I'm-uh just tagging along today, so-."_

 _Kara's disjointed sentence all but confirmed that she had further shaken the young journalist's confidence even further. Lena could feel the guilt starting to spread and she hated herself for feeling that way. Why should she care how this woman felt? Especially since she was associating with Clark Kent, who obviously was here to try to pin the Venture explosion on her._

 _"Right, could we just speed this interview along?" she interjected coldly, her walls going back up. She really didn't have time for this and she didn't like how those blue eyes were looking at her or maybe she liked them too much. Either way, she turned her attention back to Mr. Kent. "Just ask me what you want to ask me… Did I have anything to do with the Venture explosion?" she said flatly, opening a report that had been waiting for her on her desk and glancing down at it, nonchalantly._

 _"Did you?" the curt question caused her to look up and challenge,_

 _"You wouldn't be asking me if my name was Smith."_

 _"Ah, but it's not… it's Luthor," Mr. Kent unnecessarily reminded her, matching her iciness. Out of the corner of her eye she could see Ms. Danvers give Mr. Kent a sideways glance._

 _"There's some steel under that Kansas wheat," finally giving them her full attention, a sly smile curling her lips. It was returned by a quick humorless one by him. There was no convincing Superman that a Luthor could be good, so she tried a different tact: directing her plea to someone who hadn't made their mind up about her just because of her name._

 _"It wasn't always… I was adopted when I was four," she purposely cast her glance towards Ms. Danvers. She thought perhaps that Mr. Kent/Superman would see that she and him weren't so different, both of them being adopted and not being able to choose their families. But the expression she found in Ms. Danvers' eyes told Lena that she had struck a nerve with her._

 _"The person who made me feel most welcome in the family was Lex… made me proud to be a Luthor," she mused, memories of her childhood with Lex making the slight Irish lilt she picked up at boarding school in Dublin slip through on the word, 'proud.' Lena wasn't sure why she was sharing this but maybe her honesty would get through to one of them._

 _"Then he went on his reign of terror on Metropolis, declaring war on Superman, committed unspeakable crimes," she swiveled her chair, turning away from them to look out at National City, her new home. Memories of her brother's betrayal and the people he hurt…killed. These thoughts always caused a dull ache in her chest, knowing that the Lex she had grown up with had become such a monster. Her true feelings were getting a little too close to the surface with these two reporters here to jump on it, so Lena determined that story time was over. She collected herself and shifted back around, with renewed purpose, she grabbed her TV's remote and flicked on a presentation she had been working on for the new company's name._

 _"When Superman put Lex in jail I vowed to take back my family's company, rename it 'L Corp'… make it a force for good," she explained to them earnestly. She needed them to see that she wasn't Lex and hopefully generate some positive press for the new direction she was taking the company in. She paused, watching the two share a glance before continuing,_

 _"I'm just a woman trying to make a name for herself outside of her family. Can you understand that?"_

 _She finished by gazing directly at Ms. Danvers, those blue eyes full of understanding. Lena had just met the young woman but something told her that she got it. Her response proved her instincts to be spot on because Ms. Danvers stuttered a quiet, "yeah." This seemed to surprise Mr. Kent because it generated a sideways glance from him which held unknown meaning._

 _Sensing she had truly reached at least one of them, Lena still felt like she needed to show Mr. Kent/Superman that all she wanted was to help._

 _"I know why you're here… Because a subsidiary of my company made the part that exploded on the Venture," she stood, crossing the room once again, to a rack of thumb drives. Plucking the one she was looking for out, she turned back to them._

 _"This drive contains all the information we have on the oscillator," she stated, handing it to Mr. Kent, "I hope it helps you in your investigation."_

 _She could see his guarded surprise as he glanced back at Ms. Danvers briefly._

 _"Thank you," despite his grateful response, Lena could still see he wasn't going to trust her, but she made one last plea._

 _"Give me a chance, Mr. Kent. I'm just here for a fresh start… Let me have one."_

 _The reporter just smiled noncommittally and bid her farewell,_

 _"Good day, Ms. Luthor."_

 _Then he made his way to the elevators. Ms. Danvers' expression had been slightly more open, a little more willing to give her that chance. She too mumbled her own, "good day," before exiting just as quickly. Her eyes tracked them as they walked out and she released an inaudible sigh._

 _While the whole interaction had been tense, Lena had a feeling that she had gotten through to Ms. Danvers. Whatever she was to Mr. Kent, she hoped she could convince him to give her a chance. She couldn't explain the immediate pull the blonde had that caused her to reveal so much about her past with Superman in the room, but all she knew was that she hoped her and Ms. Danvers would cross paths again._

* * *

It was amazing that she hadn't figured out her secret right then and there. Especially when not thirty minutes later, she and Superman had saved her life when her chopper was attacked.

* * *

 _"Should be a smooth flight, Ms. Luthor," her pilot, Tom, assured her as he readied the helicopter for takeoff. She placed the headset over her ears and responded,_

 _"I hate flying. I know statistically it's the safest way to travel but still." And then they were rising from the ground._

 _Almost immediately she noticed the drone to her right._

 _"What the hell?" she breathed, before noticing the drone directly ahead of them._ _Her pulse raced, adrenaline coursing through her veins._ _She braced herself against the cockpit walls, her breath coming in short gasps. Of all the fears she had of flying, this hadn't not been one she even considered._

 _She stared at the drone, frozen in fear and unable to do anything. They were sitting ducks, surrounded by these high-tech drones that looked vaguely familiar, or at least the technology did. She could tell these weren't the paparazzi and her heart beat quickened as they targeted the chopper._

 _Inhaling sharply and crushing her eyes closed instinctively, Lena's whole body tensed as she waited for the bullets to strike her. But they never came._

 _She slowly opened her eyes only to see Superman and… a female version? This must be the Supergirl everyone had been talking about. Her brain was having difficulty processing the mass amounts of information it was receiving and she wasn't going to have time now to pick it apart._

 _She watched, wide-eyed as Superman flew away, leaving Supergirl. Lena had never felt so powerless but she watched as Supergirl used heat vision, much like Superman, to blow one of the drones apart._

 _Then another aimed what looked like a rocket directly at the chopper. In the blink of an eye, this woman had flown in front of them, taking the full impact of the explosive directly in the chest. While it saved them, the woman crashed straight down onto the helipad, the force of the fall crushing the concrete underneath her._

 _Lena craned her neck down, terrified the woman wouldn't get back up but then another drone had begun firing at the chopper._

 _The bullets missed her somehow but could see that Tom had been hit and the chopper was starting to spin towards the ground, unable to maintain altitude without its pilot, paired with the damage it had sustained. A blood-curdling scream escaped her throat and once again she braced herself for pain._

 _But once again, this woman saved her. She had no idea what had happened to the other drone, too consumed with her impending death, but she could feel someone take control of the chopper and guide it gently back down to the helipad._

 _Lena couldn't believe it. How was she alive right now? Relief flooded her body even as her heart continued to thunder against her chest. Practically yanking the headset off her head as Supergirl pried the door closest to Tom off the chopper with brute force._

 _The blonde stuck her upper body inside, and immediately assured her,_

" _You're safe now." Blue eyes trying their best to convey that message but as much as Lena was relieved and grateful to this woman for saving her life, she had so many questions._

" _What the hell was that?" she demanded, breathlessly, the adrenaline still coursing through her veins causing blood to pound in her ears._

" _Someone's trying to kill you," the superhero told her, a hand pressed to Tom's chest to presumably feel for a heartbeat._

 _Lena had no idea what to make of that information. Sure, there was plenty of people that wanted her dead but usually they just sent hate mail or threatened her on social media. Never before had someone actually tried to take her life and her mind was racing to figure it out._

 _Sensing the woman was still looking at her, Lena turned her gaze back to Supergirl, recognizing a crease of concern on her smooth forehead. Sky blue eyes seemed to narrow as they scanned her body up and down. On any other day, in any other situation, this would have made her feel uncomfortable but she got the sense that this woman had X-Ray vision like Superman and was checking her for injuries._

 _Once she seemed satisfied that Lena wasn't hurt she raised her eyes to meet Lena's the worry still etched in their depths._

" _I have to get him to a hospital. Will you be all right?" she asked, seeming to hesitate before she carefully removed the various harnesses that held Tom strapped into place._

" _I'll be fine. Save him," it came out as almost a command but the hero gave her one last once over before scooping up the pilot._

" _Stay safe, Ms. Luthor," the woman gave her own command, pleading with those clear blue eyes before flying away. As Lena sat there, catching her breath, an inescapable feeling told her that she had seen those blue eyes before… but where?_

* * *

Yet, Lena hadn't been able to place those eyes that day, despite having just seen them. It took a few more interactions with the two of them for her to realize Kara and Supergirl were one and the same.

She couldn't lie, not even to herself… initially she had felt hurt that Kara hadn't let her in on the secret, that she worked so hard to keep that part of herself from Lena. It had felt like Kara was just like everyone else: unwilling to trust a Luthor, but the more she thought about it, the more she came to realize that wasn't the case at all. Far from it.

Kara had shown time and again, in her words and actions, that she believed Lena was good. If anything, Lena had been the one to hold her cards close to the vest, deceiving Kara several times over but ultimately trying to do the right thing. Lena came to realize that Kara would tell her, or not, whenever she was ready. It had nothing to do with trust. It was about protecting the ones she cared about which made her think that maybe, just maybe Kara returned her feelings. But then there was Mon-El.

Thinking of Kara was like going down the rabbit hole, her thoughts wanting to go off on so many tangents. The one that floated to the surface next was concern for how the blonde woman was faring after the battle and her... boyfriend... having to leave Earth permanently.

It was easy to see how much Kara cared for the Daxamite but it was hard for her to see them together. Despite this, Lena had wanted more than anything to comfort the other woman but it was obvious Kara needed some space to process it all.

But it was now several days later and Lena had watched her TV all weekend, hoping to see a glimpse of Supergirl but to no avail. Typically, the superhero would help police and rescue crews even on the most routine of calls if she could but there was nothing.

So lost in thought was she that Lena didn't notice when her new assistant, Lana, stepped into her office. It took the young woman clearing her throat to drag Lena's attention to the present. Her eyes snapped into focus and the densely worded paper came into view. Shaking her head slightly at her own lack of productivity, Lena set the paper down on her desk and glanced up at her assistant.

"Yes, Lana?" she asked after clearing her dry throat slightly. The raven-haired woman seemed embarrassed that she interrupted her but Lena ignored it, giving the woman a small smile, encouraging her to continue.

"Sorry to bother you, Ms. Luthor, but your 1 o'clock called to confirm you were still available," apparently sensing the unspoken question, she continued, "it's a potential investor."

Lena glanced back down momentarily at the unread report, knowing full well that no work was going to get done today. But then she thought, maybe her time would be more useful elsewhere.

"Could you reschedule with them, please? As well as anything I have this afternoon. I'm taking the rest of the day off," Lena replied finally and Lana nodded her acquiescence but before she left Lena added, "Oh, could you also order a mixed dozen donuts from Sullivan's? I'll be picking them up in the next 15 minutes or so." Lana nodded and replied, "of course, Ms. Luthor," as she turned and continued out of the CEO's office.

Shortly after she left, Lena stood from her desk, locked the report away in a drawer, and grabbed her things. She had somewhere she needed to be. She had just been so wrapped up in her own pity party that she hadn't realized it.

Not really any more clear-headed than moments ago, Lena headed towards the elevators and made her way out of L Corp. George and her black town car were waiting for her obediently as was the norm and while the older gentleman looked surprised to see her walk out of the office so early, he asked no questions, merely opened the back door for her. It was what she looked for her in staff: people who are loyal, trustworthy, and who don't ask questions.

"Sullivan's Donuts, please, George. I just need to pick up some donuts before we head to Kara Danvers' apartment," she told him with an appreciative smile. He returned the smile as she ducked down into the seat and he closed the door.

The ride to Sullivan's was uneventful as was getting the donuts aside from some patrons and staff staring at her. Thankfully, all of them had the decency not to make a scene of a Luthor being there, instead keeping their thoughts to themselves. And then she was off to Kara's; all nerves and excitement as she usually was when she was going to be near the blonde reporter. It had taken her a while to acknowledge the fact that these feelings were here to stay but now she was going to embrace them.

When the car pulled up in front of the modest brick apartment building with shamefully lax security, Lena got out and made her way in as if on auto-pilot. In the elevator her heart really started to pound in her chest and she was certain that Kara wouldn't even need her super hearing to know she was coming.

Her high heels clicked on the tile floor as she approached and she couldn't help but wonder if Kara watching her. This thought caused a pleasurable chill to run up her spine in excitement but she kept her face a mask of stoicism as was her habit.

Adjusting the box in her hands to just her left, Lena hesitated as she stared at the door. Mostly, because her lungs had apparently forgot how to expand and it was becoming difficult to breath but also because she needed to collect herself before she faced the beautiful woman on the other side of the door. Forcing herself to take a deep breath, Lena mentally tried to control her rebellious heart to no avail…then she knocked.

* * *

 **A/N: Hey there, folks! When I finished watching season 2 I felt like there was so much opportunity here. It took a little while for SuperCorp to grow on me but now I'm obsessed! This could very well be a one-shot but if there are those out there who want more I already have a story planned out and a second chapter in the works. I hope to show their relationship grow while building on their interactions throughout the season. Let me know what you think and I'll be happy to continue!**


	2. Better Than Love

_Disclaimer: I do not own or profit from Supergirl or its plots or characters._

 **Chapter 2: Better Than Love**

* * *

Kara was pretty sure she had just set the world record for the most episodes of _Chopped_ watched in one sitting. At least that's what it felt like.

Since the close call with the Daxamites and Mon-El leaving she hadn't really had any desire to get out of her pajamas or get off the couch or really do much of anything but watch trashy TV, eat, and sleep.

On Monday, she had gone to work at CatCo only to have Ms. Grant basically order her off the premises for the week and Kara knew she wasn't messing around. On top of that, Alex and J'onn had also suggested she take a break from her Supergirl duties for a bit too. They had assured her that they would call if something big came up that they couldn't handle and then Alex had walked her out of the building. Whenever Alex called to check on her she wouldn't tell her about any of the cases they were working on and just tell her to, 'take it easy,' for a little while.

In all honesty, Kara didn't really have the heart to argue with them even if it was a little frustrating. They were right after all; she needed to take a break and figure things out. She did feel absolutely miserable… but not for the reasons Alex and all of her friends thought.

When Kara knew that there was no other choice than to release the lead into Earth's atmosphere to stop Rhea and the Daxamites, the only thing she could think about was the utter relief she felt. Sure, Kara had to make difficult decisions all the time as Supergirl but it was the ease with which she was able to hit that button that was haunting her right now.

Of course, she had grown to love Mon-El over time but it wasn't really the kind of love she had hoped it to be… it never was… Winn, James, Mon-El; each and every one of them she loved and cared for and had been convinced at the time that they were perfect for her, but each and every time once she was in a relationship with them it all fell flat.

She certainly didn't want him to have to leave Earth but during the entire invasion and events leading up to it Kara hadn't really had an opportunity to examine these feelings. The knowledge that she was in another lackluster relationship with someone she probably should have just stayed friends with in the first place.

He had changed so much since he landed on Earth and she had been attracted to the fact that he was able to evolve so quickly into a better person, but was that it? She couldn't seem to be able to convince herself that her relationship with Mon-El had been any different than with Winn or James. A dark part of her, one she didn't like to look at, the one that spoke the harshest of truths to her told her that it would have been harder to push that button if had been one of them instead, if she could have done it at all. And if it had been Lena… well Kara didn't want to think about that. She just hoped she never ran into Red Kryptonite again or that truth would come tumbling out of her.

It had been agonizing enough knowing that Lena had been taken by Rhea, but the idea that the woman had almost been forced to marry Mon-El made it all the worse somehow. She would have done anything to get her back. Anything. So, Kara had made the tough decision to trust Lillian Luthor to help get Lena home. And it had worked even to her own detriment but Kara didn't care. She had achieved her goal: keep Lena safe.

Unconsciously, a fond smile found its way onto Kara's lips as she thought about how Lena had been in the process of saving herself and Mon-El before Kara had arrived. Lena was never really the damsel in distress type and all Kara felt in that moment when the doors had opened was relief.

Relief. It was the emotion that kept bubbling to the surface. Relief that Lena was safe and then ultimately relief that she didn't have to admit to herself that another relationship was failing. And Kara hated herself for feeling that way.

Her pity party was halted suddenly when her super smell detected a sugary scent emanating from somewhere nearby. Kara shot upright into a sitting position on the couch and used her X-Ray vision to look past her doorway, tracking down the mouth-watering culprit. Not seeing anything there, she scanned her eyes laterally down the hall until she found the source of the scent.

 _Lena_... _with a box of donuts_. Another unconscious smile curled her lips as she watched the brunette stride purposefully down her hallway towards her door, heels clicking on the fake tile. Kara was always impressed with the way Lena never walked anywhere slowly, never strolled. She seemed to always know exactly what she wanted and where she was going and Kara envied her for it.

It was right about then, with the CEO standing outside of her door, that she remembered the various dirty dishes and empty take out boxes scattered throughout the living room area. Lena had come to her apartment only a handful of times in the past but every time Kara couldn't help but feel a strange excitement having such a smart, powerful, gorgeous woman in her modest home. Kara always felt a little embarrassed by her one room loft but Lena acted as if Kara's home was the best she had ever seen.

Well, Lena may not care what the apartment looked like but Kara did, so, gauging the other woman's distance, Kara used her super speed to straighten up in the blink of an eye. She was able to throw away the last empty box just as Lena arrived directly in front of her door.

Heart pounding and just a hair winded, Kara waited anxiously on the balls of her feet for Lena to knock but the woman appeared to hesitate. Her brow creased in confusion, Kara continued to watch, unable to take her eyes off the gorgeous CEO. Lena seemed to stand there staring at the door as if she had X-Ray vision herself but a faraway look in her eyes told Kara that she was probably lost in thought.

Kara took the opportunity to study the woman who had, for some unknown reason, had wanted to be a part of her life. She was absolutely striking in her every day work clothes, always so well put together. Today, she wore a semi-sheer, long-sleeved, dark blue button up blouse with black skinny jeans that accentuated her lean legs. Kara was certain that this woman could put anything on her body and she'd make it look couture. Thinking about the woman's body made a blush creep up her neck so Kara quickly refocused her thoughts and attention to the Luthor's face. Lena had opted for less makeup today only the slightest pinkness to her lips and her trademark eyeliner off-setting emerald green eyes.

Using a little more of her powers to hone in on Lena, Kara could hear the woman's heartbeat was elevated and she seemed to be holding her breath. Was something bothering her? Was she okay?

While she had been sitting in her apartment wallowing in her feelings and stuffing her face, Kara had thought a lot about Lena. The CEO was known for taking risks but never seemed to really open up fully to anyone. So, the idea that Lena had opened herself up to someone, a mother-figure, like Rhea, only to be so betrayed… that thought caused a sharp pain to stab through her chest.

After all of their time together, Kara had learned there was no one like Lena Luthor. While she had always instinctively been able to tell that Lena was on the side of good, she remembered when the Luthor had proved which side she was on…

* * *

 _Kara spotted the woman she was looking for, walking quickly towards the courtyard outside of L Corp. Their interaction yesterday had been an interesting one to say the least. As much as Clark told her that Lena Luthor couldn't be trusted, Kara couldn't help but see the earnest plea in her eyes that all she wanted was to use her power and influence for good._

 _Growing up on Earth, hiding her powers while Clark was in the news constantly, always saving the day had been difficult for Kara. She, too just wanted to help, and yet the people close to her were telling her to keep her true self hidden._

 _Now that she was free to be Supergirl, everyone kept comparing her to her cousin and she was tired of it. She wanted to be judged based on her own accomplishments and talents._

 _Breaking into a quick little jog, Kara caught up to the CEO, careful not to scare her as she approached her from behind. Kara cleared her throat a little and greeted,_

 _"Ms. Luthor? Hi!"_

 _The brunette cast her bright green eyes towards her, and like yesterday, she had difficulty focusing on anything else. As the Luthor slowed her pace slightly to allow Kara to catch up, Kara took in the beautiful woman's appearance. Lena wore a deep green designer blouse that accentuated those eyes with a black pencil skirt and a tan trench coat, the very picture of a wealthy CEO. She watched as a small smile curled the edges of Lena Luthor's red painted lips and she completely forgot why she was there entirely, but she fell into stride beside her nonetheless._

 _"Ms. Danvers, right?" she replied easily, and the idea that this powerful woman remembered her name made a slight warmth creep into her cheeks. In response, she gave Lena her best smile and a nod that was a little overzealous before asking,_

 _"Do you mind if I walk with you to the ceremony?"_

 _"Sure, doesn't seem like I'll be getting much press otherwise…," Lena replied with a hint of humor in her tone before continuing, "My brother is serving 32 consecutive life sentences… I guess I shouldn't be surprised there isn't a bigger turnout."_

 _Glancing around, Lena wasn't wrong. There really weren't that many people but there were several news cameras set up to record the event, no major outlets though. Kara got the sense from the CEO that she wasn't really interested in the media so Kara was glad she was willing to speak with her._

 _It was easy to see from the limited interaction Kara had with the Luthor that she had a single-minded determination to fix what her brother had broken, but Kara couldn't help but wonder if it was more than just the company's reputation that Lex had ruined in Lena's eyes.._

 _"You're taking an awful risk… going ahead with the renaming ceremony with your life in danger," Kara immediately regretted her tone. That had definitely been her Supergirl voice, but she couldn't help the sincere concern she had for Lena's life, especially after saving her from Corbin's drones yesterday. An overwhelming need to protect this woman filled her and she didn't really know why. But Kara could tell Lena wasn't someone to be cower in fear even in the face of terrorists._

 _The brunette met her eyes directly as she spoke and Kara had difficulty doing her job of focusing her super senses on the crowd around her. Lena's forest-colored eyes were unreadable though and Kara became lost in them for a moment, trying to decode the emotions under their stoic shields._

 _"I won't have a life if I can't make this company into something positive… All I'll be remembered for is Lex's madness," Lena finished with a sigh as they arrived near the podium, finally allowing a small sliver of frustration to peak through. Lena gave her one last lingering look, one that held something Kara still couldn't quite discern._

 _Keeping her eyes trained on Lena as she stepped up to the podium and began to deliver her speech from memory, Kara made sure to keep her super senses open to any threat that may be lurking nearby._

 _She listened intently to Lena's speech but her eyes scanned the small crowd for Corbin. She knew he was here somewhere but she hadn't yet spotted him. She tried to stay close enough to the stage to be able to intervene if necessary while also trying to blend in. She could feel something was about to happen, already her pulse beginning to pick up in anticipation._

 _As Lena's speech came to a close, Kara watched in horror as an explosion destroyed the concrete Luthor Corp sign behind the brunette. Her muscles coiled underneath the fabric of her sweater, ready to pounce, grab Lena, and get her to safety, her secret identity be damned._

 _But just as she was about to, she saw Lena running off the stage herself, explosions destroying the podium she had been standing in front of just seconds prior. Satisfied, the woman had gotten herself out of the threat of the explosives, Kara told herself that she needed to find Corbin. That was the only way Lena was going to be safe, otherwise he would just keep coming after her._

 _Kara scanned the crowd frantically, trying to keep her wits about her before practically ripping her glasses off her face. Once she got behind a building she used her super speed to change out of her civilian clothes revealing her Supergirl suit. She jumped into the sky, flying above the crowd to locate Corbin when Alex's voice crackled over her ear piece._

 _"I've got eyes on Corbin."_

 _She finally spotted them and her heart dropped… Corbin had somehow gotten Alex at gunpoint._

 _She crashed roughly to the ground in front of them and Corbin grabbed Alex, spinning her around and pointing the gun close to her head while also using her as a shield._

 _"Let her go," she demanded, stopping short, fear coursing through her every vein._

 _"You're going to let me out of here," Corbin told her calmly as Kara cut her eyes back and forth from him to Alex, searching for any opportunity to attack._

 _"Lex Luthor paid you to kill his sister, didn't he?" she accused, trying to distract him, trick him into making a mistake so Kara could find an opening. She was fast… but she didn't know if she was fast enough to stop a bullet with the gun that close to Alex's head._

 _"Mr. Luthor still has resources in reach, even rotting in maximum security lock down. Now, I'm leaving and there's nothing you can do-," his tirade was cut short by a gun shot._

 _Kara's heart stopped beating…the next second or two felt like an eternity even without her super speed. Corbin looked down at his chest… a bullet wound. Then he fell to the ground with Alex, leaving Lena Luthor standing there behind them… holding a gun like she had done it before… pointed down at Corbin._

 _Staring at disbelief at the brunette in front of her, Kara couldn't even register that Alex was speaking to her. She kept her eyes trained on Lena, who still held the gun pointed at the man who had tried to kill her. Her eyes hard and her hands steady but Kara could see the assassination attempt had shaken her._

 _This woman had just saved her sister, risking her own life to stop Corbin at great personal risk. She could have just run like all of the others, but she didn't._

* * *

The slight knock on the wood of the door brought Kara back to the present.

Taking a shaky breath, Kara made her way to the door and reached up to adjust her glasses only to find they weren't there.

 _Crap!_ she thought to herself, _that was almost really bad._ But then her recurrent thought came to her… w _ould it really be so bad if Lena knew she was Supergirl?_

She trusted Lena implicitly, despite all the times Lena kept her true intentions secret, despite everything her friends and family said. Lena had always tried to do the right thing, at great risk to herself and her reputation, and Kara had come to see that all Lena wanted was pay a debt that she didn't owe.

Kara didn't have time to pick this apart right now. She could see Lena was waiting patiently on the other side of the door. Using her super speed once again she ran to the bedroom and grabbed her glasses. shoving them on her face before swinging the door open with a broad smile.

"Lena! What are you doing here?" Kara did her best to pretend to be surprised. Her conscience always itched to tell the truth about her identity in these situations. These little white lies kept snowballing and it felt wrong somehow, even if it was for the right reasons.

Lena's face broke into a wide smile as well, perfect teeth peeking through her pink lips. Emerald eyes seemed to light up and Kara was always drawn into their depths.

"Kara, I hope you don't mind me stopping by like this...," Lena's voice and the elegant way she spoke always highlighted her intelligence. Years spent in boarding school perfecting her grammar, among other things, seemed to have paid off at least in some ways.

"Not at all! Come on in. Is everything okay?" Kara was quick to step back and gesture for the woman to step inside. Lena's smile widened and she graciously passed by her closely into the living room area of the loft apartment. Lena turned on her heel to look back at her as Kara closed the door behind her.

"Well, someone brought me fried, sugary goodness once when I needed cheering up, so I felt it was only appropriate I do the same for her… but I can see I am woefully overdressed for the occasion," Lena stated matter-of-factly, with a playful shrug, green eyes looking her up and down. Lena was trying to keep a straight face but the slight upturn in the corner of her lips betrayed her.

Kara looked down and mentally slapped her forehead, externally she closed her eyes and laughed at herself: She had forgotten to change out of her pajamas. Heat crept up her neck but Kara tried to ignore it, folding her arms across her chest self-consciously.

Meanwhile, Lena had opened the box and brandished the donuts teasingly out in front of her as if she was showing her a suitcase full of money, except this was way better.

Kara gave a kind of anxious laugh as she temporarily became distracted by the beautiful woman in front of her especially the sight of those full lips, trying to bite back a laugh.

"What makes you think I need cheering up?" Kara attempted to deflect while still accepting the box graciously from Lena. She somehow found the strength to turn away from those piercing eyes and plop down on her cushy couch while taking out a Boston Cream.

 _Why was it so hard to concentrate when Lena was looking at her like that?_ It reminded her of the look Lena had given her the day after the renaming ceremony…

* * *

 _Clark had come by CatCo that morning and Kara had stopped in front of her desk._

 _"You free? Lena Luthor wants to see us," he had told her with a smile. After the events of the last two days, she could see that Clark was more open to the idea that a Luthor could be good._

 _Kara readily agreed and they made their way to L Corp, the old-fashioned way, by public transit. When they arrived, she was surprised to find they were immediately shown into the CEO's office. Kara's eyes instantly fell on the raven-haired woman sitting behind her desk, today's Daily Planet in her hands. Noticing they were in front of her, Lena set the paper down and stepped around her desk to stand in front them, a beautiful smile stretching across her lips._

 _"Thank you, Mr. Kent. This is exactly the kind of press my company needs after yesterday's attack," she folded her arms across her chest, sizing up Clark beside her, before continuing with a hint of humor in her voice, "and thank you for including that part about how I shot the guy…that'll teach Lex to mess with me."_

 _Lena had turned her gaze to Kara and for some reason she got the sense that this woman knew more than she was letting on._

 _"He'll be the laughing stock of cell block 'X'," she finished and Kara returned her glance with a goofy smile, one that stayed plastered there even while Lena turned her attention back to Clark._

 _"Well, that's not exactly why I wrote it; I wrote it because it's the truth. I was wrong about you, Ms. Luthor… I'm sorry," her cousin sincerely apologized but Kara could sense that he still harbored some reservations about Lena's trustworthiness, despite being wrong about her in this instance._

 _Regardless, his apology seemed to bring her some enjoyment because she looked down, smiling to herself._

 _"Well, if I can make a believer out of Clark Kent, then there's hope yet," she replied and a laugh escaped Kara at her hidden knowledge that Lena had not only convinced Clark Kent, but also Superman._

 _"What about you, Ms. Danvers," Kara looked up in surprise, shocked to see those emerald eyes studying her curiously. Her breath hitched in her throat at the inquisitive look the CEO was giving her. She felt like she was back and school and the teacher had called on her when she hadn't heard the question. Kara was grateful when Lena continued, stating, "I didn't see your name on the byline."_

 _Kara knew she probably looked like a fish out of her water as her mouth open and closed, her brain racing to form a response. Her brain was not gifted with super speed so she continued to flounder for a few seconds._

 _"Uh, I- Well, like I said, I'm not a reporter," she finally managed to spit out, a self-deprecating smile following her words. Lena's eyes continued to study her making it difficult for Kara to breath._

 _"Well, you could've fooled me," Lena complimented, a playful smile on her red-painted lips and a little glimmer in her eyes. A warmth started in her chest and spread through her whole body, filling her with happiness. The idea that such a strong and intelligent woman like Lena felt that she could be a reporter made her chest swell with confidence, something she had been lacking lately._

 _Kara just stared at her, and even after Lena turned back to her desk, she continued to stare at the space she had vacated._

 _"I hope this isn't the last time we talk?" it came off as a question, and Kara's eyes followed the beautiful woman as she returned to her desk chair._

 _"I hope not either," came her genuine reply, smiling brightly at the brunette before taking her leave with Clark._

* * *

Kara felt like that interaction had really been the beginning of their friendship.

 _Friendship…_ Is that really what this is?

Lifting her eyes to the gorgeous CEO, Kara could feel the usual fluttering in her stomach whenever she was in her presence. After everything she and Lena had been through together, Kara was at a loss to describe her feelings for the woman in front of her. Of course, they were friends… best friends even… but even that didn't seem like an adequate description of the relationship that had grown between them. Was being around your best friend supposed to make you feel like this?

Just as she had told Ms. Grant… Kara knew she loved Lena. She wouldn't even try to deny it. But she also had loved Mon-El… and Winn… and James. But comparing what she had with those men to what she felt around Lena was impossible. Lena made her feel like… like home. That was the only word she could describe it. Sure, when Kara had come to this planet, the Danvers' had taken her in and made her feel like she was just another human. But Lena… Lena made her feel like there was no one else in the galaxy she would rather be around.

All this just added to the confusion and the guilt over Mon-El leaving again. But she was unable to dwell on it much further because the subject of her thoughts captured her full attention.

Lena gracefully perched on the couch beside her, angling her body towards Kara, who looked away shyly, a blush creeping into her cheeks as was the new norm when Lena was within touching distance. Her super senses could practically feel the warmth emanating from the woman beside her in turn making Kara feel like she was on fire.

Nervously touching her glasses, Kara chanced a glance back at the woman in front of her and she was reminded why that was always a risky decision. The strikingly clear eyes that met hers now held only concern, the playful smile a memory now.

"Kara...I owe you an apology," now it was Lena's turn to look away briefly, as if collecting her thoughts. She loved the way this woman spoke her name but there something about the way she said it that made Kara sit up a little straighter.

Lena still seemed to be struggling as if she wanted to say more but was holding back and it was in that moment that Kara felt like Lena could see right through her. As if she knew everything about how she was really Supergirl, how she really felt about Mon-El, and how Kara felt about her. She wanted to tell Lena everything; she certainly deserved to know. The pull was getting even stronger and she didn't know how long she would be able to fight it.

She would do anything to keep Lena safe, but had keeping her in the dark really done that? If anything, if may have put her in more danger, causing Rhea to slither her way into Lena's life.

"I know that Mon-El meant a lot to you," Lena began softly, and Kara could see the CEO looked extremely uncomfortable, which in its own way was an honor to be able to witness. That may sound strange but the fact that this emotionally abused woman was allowing her to see any of her true feelings showed that Lena trusted her. That was something Kara would never take for granted.

Which is another reason why she did and didn't want to tell her. How would Lena be able to trust her again after such a betrayal? Knowing that she had been lying to her their entire friendship. How could Kara expect her to want more if she couldn't even share her true identity? If she kept it a secret, she knew it would blow up in her face at some point but she didn't want to lose what they had either. Before she could perseverate on it too much, Lena continued.

"I'm so sorry that I was the cause of your pain…," Lena's eyes pled with her before looking down at her perfectly manicured nails, reaching out and placing a comforting hand on Kara's thigh.

A spark shot through her body at Lena's gentle touch. That didn't seem like a friend thing, but it also felt so right. So, why was she still feeling so guilty.

"Lena…," she began, wanting more than anything to comfort her but Lena wasn't finished.

"If I had just trusted my instincts… if I hadn't let myself be manipulated by that woman you never would have had to-," Lena cut herself off quickly but all Kara could hear was the blood rushing to her ears. Did she just..? Lena continued as if the pause was intentional.

"Supergirl wouldn't have had to make such a difficult decision… and you never would have had to say good-bye to Mon-El," she finished, eventually lifting her long, dark lashes so her eyes met Kara's. Her mouth had gone dry and she didn't know that she had the ability to speak.

Kara would never blame Lena for what happened with the Daxamites. If It hadn't been for Lena, then Rhea would have just found another way to make her portal a reality. The fact that she chose Lena, someone who wanted so badly to make the world a better place, enraged Kara. Even now, white hot anger swelled in her chest at Rhea taking advantage of Lena's compassion and intelligence.

"You did nothing wrong, Lena. If anything, you saved everyone," as she spoke she gave Lena's leg a little comforting squeeze, trying to convey to the CEO that it was okay. The contact felt inadequate to convey her message, so Kara scooted closer to Lena and snaked an arm around her shoulder, pulling her to her side. It had just felt like the natural thing to do; she needed Lena to understand that she wasn't the one to blame.

The woman seemed to relax into her embrace, her shoulders sinking in defeat, and it caused a dull ache in Kara's chest. It was a privilege to see Lena so vulnerable but she hated that it meant the Luthor felt any kind of pain whatsoever.

"Supergirl is the one who saved us and she wouldn't have had to if I hadn't been so foolish," Lena countered, and if Kara didn't know any better she thought she could see those emerald eyes glass over with unshed tears.

"Hey, you weren't foolish. You were betrayed by a manipulative bitch. And all Supergirl did was press a button. You were the one who figured it out. You, Lena Luthor, are my hero," Kara asserted while also trying to lighten her mood, using words Lena had said to her not that long ago. She was rewarded when the CEO gave her a little smile and a wry chuckle.

"Either way… You never should have had to say good bye like that… I'm sorry," Lena replied finally, collecting herself. When Lena turned her head to look at her, Kara was all too aware of how close their faces were now. Her senses were being inundated by Lena: her light breath on Kara's cheek, the warmth radiating through her clothes, her scent which could only be described as floral.

She almost forgot they were still talking about Mon-El leaving until Lena's words finally sunk into her conscious mind. The guilt shot through again, causing her to lean back a little from Lena, as much as her body fought it. She couldn't help but ask herself, _what kind of person feels this way for their best friend so soon after their boyfriend leaves forever?_

It was Kara's turn to regain some sense of composure to reply. So, she removed her arm from the raven-haired woman, her body immediately felt chilly missing the warmth of Lena against her.

"I'm just glad I got the chance to say goodbye," Kara told her and it was true. At least he was alive and safe, even if he couldn't return to Earth. Lena was here and everything in her body told her that she would be okay. She cleared a lump that had developed in her throat and they sat in a comfortable silence for a moment which Kara was okay with because she was just enjoying the other woman's company. Eventually, Lena's voice cut through the silence that had permeated the room.

"Now…Get dressed. I took the afternoon off so I'm getting you out of this apartment," Lena practically ordered, giving her a playful smile. Kara returned it happily, excited to spend more time with the Luthor. This was someone that typically got what she wanted so who was Kara to deny her?

* * *

 **A/N: Wow! Thank you guys for the response! Especially Enigmea, Red Lightning, Kuroneko200, MeekoTown, sailor-ice, and Leapyearbaby29 for being my first reviewers! I'm so glad you all enjoyed the first part. I have obviously decided to continue, so any feedback and constructive criticism is welcome! I love to grow as a writer so reviews are always super helpful for me. I won't always be able to update at this pace but I'm so inspired so I'm going to write what's in my brain as quickly as I can. Thanks again so much!**


	3. The Fear

_Disclaimer: I do not own or profit from Supergirl or its plots or characters._

 **Chapter 3:** **The Fear**

* * *

Convincing Kara to leave the cozy confines of her pajamas had been the easy part, Lena realized as she waited patiently in Kara's living room while the blonde changed; the difficult part was trying to figure out where she was going to take her.

Not having thought it through entirely, Lena hadn't really planned anything. When deciding to leave work early all she had really been certain of was that Kara would love some donuts. Now that she was here and Kara was getting dressed Lena was wracking her brain to come up with a place that would lighten the woman's spirits.

Lena took the opportunity to study the superhero's apartment, searching for inspiration while eating one of those donuts herself. The space oozed of shabby chic style but also looked comfortable and lived in. Everything about the space was warm and inviting; she could easily see how the reporter could hide away from the world here. Lena had only been here a few times but never spent a significant amount of time in the space so each time she discovered something new.

Today, the curtains were drawn over the huge windows, the shades pulled down, blocking out all but the smallest slivers of light. It made her wonder… From what she knew about Kryptonians she knew they relied heavily on the yellow sun of Earth for their abilities, so the fact that Kara wanted to remain in darkness told Lena a lot about the blonde's current state of mind.

Lena knew the woman must be feeling so much guilt at having to send her own boyfriend away, the same guilt she felt for putting her in a position to have to make that decision. But Kara's choice to use the lead had saved them all and Lena wanted, no, _needed_ her to see that. Her heart ached knowing Kara was in any type of pain whatsoever.

In the time they had spent together over the last several months, Lena had developed some rather intense feelings for the blonde. She was still trying to explore the exact depths of those feelings, but she knew if was more than just friendship. A word she had grown to loathe.

Of course, she thought Kara was extremely attractive. How could she not? Especially when she had discovered she and Supergirl were one and the same. But what she felt was so much deeper than that.

Kara had the ability to make her feel as if she was more than her name, holding her to a higher standard than she held herself. Time and again, the reporter confronted her about her prejudices, even the ones she was unaware she had, but also to do actual good in the world. Kara had seen her flaws and instead of treating her like another alien-hating Luthor, she confronted her, believing that Lena was good and would make the right choice.

Lena thought back to the first time Kara had really challenged her… made her see that all of the good intentions in the world meant nothing if your actions didn't reflect them…

* * *

 _When Jess had told her that Ms. Danvers called, asking if she could meet with her, Lena had jumped at the opportunity to see the cute blonde again. To hell with the fact that she had back to back meetings with investors. Maybe that was a poor business decision but Lena didn't care; she would make the time. She couldn't really put her finger on what it was about the fledgling reporter but all Lena knew was that she wanted to spend more time with her, get to know her._

" _Ms. Luthor," Kara greeted her brightly, crossing the room in a few strides. She didn't want Kara to call her by her surname. It had a lot to do with the complicated family legacy but she also wanted the blonde to feel comfortable around her and not feel like she had to be so formal._

" _Lena, please," Lena quickly corrected her. A genuine smile spread across her face at sight of the reporter. Lena thought she looked adorable in tight slacks and a grey sweater, the crisp white collar of a button-down peeking out, her blonde hair down up at the base of her neck in an elaborate braided bun._

 _Kara arrived to stand in front of her desk, reaching out to shake her hand which Lena happily accepted. It was only the briefest of touches but she had to do her best to ignore the warmth that shot up her arm from the contact._

" _It's good to see you again, Ms. Danvers," she told her sincerely. Kara gave her what seemed like a shy smile and replied,_

" _Well, if I'm calling you Lena…." A strange feeling fluttered in her chest at the sound of this woman saying her name. That wasn't something she was used to… but she pushed it aside for the time being._

" _Kara, it is," she acquiesced, the grin never leaving her lips. Then, for some reason, her nervous energy got to her, something else that rarely happened to her anymore._

" _Oh, if you have a parking ticket I can have it validated for you," Lena was quick to offer. She mentally checked herself. Parking was expensive in National City so she was just trying to save the woman money, at least that's what Lena told herself. It was definitely not about encouraging the reporter to visit L Corp more frequently._

" _Oh, no, no, no, that's fine. I flew here...," the nervous woman stuttered, waving her hand before seeming to realize what she had said. The blonde adjusted her glasses with wide eyes and continued as she set her bag on the floor, "on…a… bus."_

 _That gave Lena pause… did she hear that correctly? Flew here? She would have to file that away for later but for now she chose to write it off as part of this woman's quirkiness._

" _Well… I'm glad to see you decided to give reporting a shot," she began her accent peeking through on her 'o's.' Then remembering her manners when she noticed Kara was still standing awkwardly in front of her desk,_

" _Please." She gestured towards to the chair across from her, watching Kara lower herself onto the seat before continuing, "Although if you're here on the same day that the President is in town to sign her Alien Amnesty Act, then…." Kara took the bait, finishing her thought,_

" _Then, I must be here to ask the sister of the Earth's most notorious alien hater her take on the President's executive order." Kara almost seemed embarrassed about asking her about this as she pulled her notebook out of her bag._

 _Lena had given what felt like hundreds of interviews to various reporters and news outlets throughout the years; a Luthor could never avoid the spotlight no matter how hard she tried. And there was something about Kara Danvers that made her feel like this wasn't just an interview. This was only the third interaction she's had with the blonde but she was growing quite fond of their time together. Not only that, but she felt like this woman could be trusted and that was something new for Lena. Making a decision, Lena told her,_

" _I want to show you something."_

 _Standing from her desk, Lena walked around to a shelf on the opposite wall with her safe. She pressed her fingers to the biometric scanner, unlocking it, and pulling out the device inside. She could sense that Kara had stood up and followed her across the room, so she wasn't surprised to see the reporter so close when she turned around. Not surprised but pleased._

" _What is it?" came the question, Kara's voice soft in her curiosity._

" _It's an alien detection device. It allows humans to determine who is not really one of them," she began to explain and she could immediately see the apprehension in Kara's eyes. Feeling the need to put a little distance between them again, Lena circled back to lean against her desk before continuing,_

" _It's not market ready yet; we're still developing the prototype, but we aim to have this device in every store, in every town, all across America."_

" _How does it work?" came the logical next question but Lena noticed that it didn't appear as though the reporter was taking any notes. Her eyes were fixated on the device in Lena's hand as if it were a snake, ready to strike out at any moment._

" _It's just a simple skin test. Okay, let me show you what a negative response looks like," she explained proudly. It had been quite an achievement to hone in on the precise algorithms to make this device a reality, especially when so many aliens had genetic makeups akin to humans._

 _Pressing her thumb to the scanner, Lena waited only a second before the light turned green to show she was indeed human._

" _See? Right… now you try," she suggested, holding the prototype in her hand towards Kara. She could almost feel the tension radiating off the woman which only raised her suspicion even further. She had been around her mother long enough to know what a good liar looked like and Kara wasn't one. Based on her observations, it was obvious to Lena now that there was something this woman was hiding from her; judging by her reaction to taking this test, Lena suspected she probably was an alien._

 _Lena really had no problem with aliens. Truly. Ever since her brother had done what he had done, Lena had been threatened by countless aliens, falsely believing that she harbored the same prejudice. Bomb threats, poisoning, good old fashioned being held up at gun point, you name it. She had to have 24/7 bodyguards with her always, cameras everywhere, biometric locks on everything. She was tired of constantly living in fear, so she had come up with the idea, believing that security was sometimes more important that freedom. But if Kara really was an alien, Lena wanted to know, even though her instincts told her that Kara had no intention of causing her harm._

 _Kara continued to stare down at the device as if it were dangerous, and Lena could see that behind those glasses, she was trying to stall or deflect in any way possible. So, after her mouth opened and closed silently several times, the stuttering reply finally came,_

" _But- won't a device like this… Doesn't it… go against everything America is supposed to stand for?"_

 _She understood the implications of mass producing a device like this... her intention was never to catalog and register aliens like cattle. The reason for this test was to protect people who were trying to deceive or even harm humans like herself._

 _So, when Kara challenged her on the moral implications of this device, Lena couldn't help but push her right back. She carefully placed the prototype beside her on the desk and crossed her arms in front of her chest defensively._

" _Such as…?" came her curt reply._

" _Well, freedom… against persecution… oppression. America's always been a country full of immigrants," Kara was stumbling over her words and Lena saw that she had gotten a rise out of the reporter. Lena could feel her own defenses going up but she remained stoic as usual._

" _But it's also always been a country of humans," she countered, the smile still on her face, a little more fixed than she intended. She didn't harbor animosity towards aliens, she just wanted people to feel safe. There are bad aliens out there after all and people had a right to know if their neighbor had the ability to shoot lasers from their eyes, right?_

" _Just… don't you think this device will force aliens back into the very shadows that the President is trying to shine a light on," Kara seemed to have collected herself but she was obviously bothered by the unexpected direction this interview had taken. Those blue eyes seemed to look every direction but at Lena._

" _If aliens want to be citizens that's now their right. But if humans want to know which of their fellow citizens isn't actually one of them that's their right too," Lena responded coolly, but as much as she was loathed to admit it, Kara had struck a nerve in her. It felt like she was being attacked for wanting to feel safe and secure when bad aliens around her lied constantly to try and hurt her merely because of whom she was related._

" _I'm a businesswoman and L Corp is in the business of making money and this device is going to make us a fortune. But unlike my brother, I'm going to do it for the good of the world," she finished, and she wasn't entirely sure who exactly she was trying to convince._

 _Again, she felt like she needed some space after their tense back and forth, Lena turned and retreated around the desk to sit in her chair._

" _So…?" she held the device out to Kara again, not having forgot about it like the blonde had obviously hoped she would. She flashed her a grin, hiding the tempest of emotions she was feeling underneath the surface. But now Lena felt like she had to know, deserved to know. What if Kara_ was _just another alien trying to get close to her to harm her? Were all these interviews just part of an elaborate scheme? That was something she didn't want to think about… but the nagging in her mind told her that this woman was hiding something from her and she was going to find out what it was._

" _Right!" came the anxious reply after a sharp intake of air and then, "Uhm… here goes…."_

 _After a tense moment the light had turned green, indicating Kara was indeed human. But somehow Lena wasn't fully convinced even though she had designed the prototype herself. She was a scientist first and foremost but she couldn't ignore Kara's suspicious actions._

" _See, huh? Works perfectly," she told her, hiding her reservations behind her typical mask. The woman gave what could only be construed as a huge sigh of relief and a short response of,_

" _Yep."_

 _And then the interview was over. She had to get back to all the other business associated with being the CEO of a major corporation, and yet, despite their differing views and Kara's evasiveness, the time spent with Kara felt like an oasis in her day. Even though she knew Kara was going to tear her apart in this article, she didn't care. She was more than equipped to handle some negative press._

 _Not long after Kara had left that morning, when Lena had been tinkering with the prototype, she had noticed the slight singe on the circuits. In her mind, that all but confirmed that Kara was indeed an alien._

 _That evening she had stayed at the office, glass of wine by her side, lost in thought. After all, Kara Danvers had given her a lot to think about. The idea that Kara really was an alien and didn't trust her enough to tell her had affected Lena greatly, more than it should have and more than she cared to admit._

 _Now, she was questioning if she really was creating this device for the right reasons or if she was just like her brother…_

 _Lex had always believed he was doing the right thing by trying to rid the world of Superman. He had thought that an alien that powerful, with the ability to destroy all of humanity, had to be eliminated for the good of all. Security over freedom._

 _It felt as though her heart had plummeted into her stomach as she remembered the way Kara had practically trembled in fear at the idea of Lena finding out her secret._

" _Oh, god…," Lena whispered to herself in the privacy of her vacant office, her heart now rocketing into her throat. Maybe she was more like her brother than she thought…_

* * *

While she still hadn't had the wherewithal to realize that Kara was Supergirl at the time, Lena had been all but certain she wasn't human. Guilt still ate at her, remembering the way Kara appeared so terrified that Lena would discover she was an alien. Her intention had never been to scare her but she saw now what creating that device really would have meant for Kara and those like her.

As she paced around the apartment, something in the corner of the room caught her eye, piquing her curiosity and drawing her in, much like Kara herself. It was an easel. A large canvass was propped up on it with an unfinished oil painting of a beach. Scattered in the tray and on a nearby table were paints, various brushes, and a palette. She had been in this apartment multiple times but had never noticed this before. Kara was an artist… of course someone as passionate and creative as the reporter was would be an artist as well.

Instantly, Lena knew the perfect place to take Kara.

"Ready!" the subject of her thoughts chirped as she stepped through the curtain separating her bedroom from the rest of the loft.

Lena turned and, no matter how many times she laid eyes on her, Kara always seemed to steal the breath from her. Today, she had opted for well-worn skinny jeans with a form-fitting red and white striped t-shirt under a thin-gray hoodie. It was an outfit probably just as comfortable as her pajamas but was no less stunning.

Kara really was beautiful, the kind of natural beauty that people paid thousands of dollars to obtain. Yet, the blonde seemed to work so hard to downplay her striking looks, probably an attempt to distance herself even further from her confident Supergirl alter ego. But no matter how many times Kara Danvers awkwardly adjusted those thick-rimmed glasses, she would never be able to hide those expressive sapphire eyes.

They were her real superpower. They gave her a power over Lena that Kara herself didn't even seem to realize. She could probably get Lena to do anything she asked all with a glance.

Those eyes landed on where Lena was standing and her bright smile morphed into more of a self-conscious one. Lena was quick to reassure her as she turned back to look at the painting,

"I never would have encouraged you to be a reporter if I had known you were such a gifted artist, Kara."

The reporter's footfalls could be heard as she stepped up beside her and out of the corner of her eye she could see the redness coloring her cheeks.

"Oh, I'm no artist. Not really. I…uh… it's just a hobby," Kara murmured, but Lena could see a pleased smile curve her pink lips.

"May I?" Lena asked, a hand outstretched to a sketchbook on the table. She gazed back at Kara who merely gave a timid nod of her head, blonde hair bouncing in her ponytail.

Lena flipped through the thick pages one by one, pausing on each to appreciate Kara's skill. Most were landscapes, a few portraits stuck out amongst them. Her fingers grazed over the graceful, sweeping lines of portrait of a middle-aged woman Lena didn't recognize, wondering who she was while also appreciating the skill it took to bring this person to life on the page.

"Kara... these are… really very good," Lena complimented her sincerely, glancing over her shoulder at the woman in question. The secret superhero was adorably adjusting her glasses again, but managed to squeak out a thank you before Lena straightened up beside her.

"You should bring this with us," Lena suggested, the idea for their afternoon finalizing in her brain. Kara gave her a wary look but took the sketchbook from her and selected some pastels to go with it, tossing both in a messenger bag.

"Where are we going?" Kara asked her brightly, seemingly recovered from her shyness as she crossed the room and plucked a donut out of the box from the coffee table. Lena watched with amusement as the Kryptonian shoveled the donut in her mouth and licked the powder from her fingers.

"You'll see," was her cryptic reply which only seemed to broaden Kara's smile. That was Kara's other superpower: her smile. It was something she freely gave to almost everybody, but there were so many varieties. Every once in a while, Lena would discover one she had never seen and it always felt like a gift that Kara bestowed upon her, one she never felt worthy of…

* * *

 _Lena was both physically and mentally exhausted after the week she'd had; constant meetings, wooing investors, all of it. She had never felt like more of a CEO and less of a scientist than she had these last few days. Not to mention, the interview with Kara earlier in the week had shaken her more than she cared to admit._

 _Then, on Friday two things happened: one, the article was published and two, the person she had hoped to see came to L Corp and seemed to wash away all of her stress._

 _Her office doors opened by her other assistant Helen, revealing Kara. The pretty blonde was quick to thank Helen before stepping in and flashing Lena the most breathtaking grin. Lena's lips curled upwards of their own accord as she watched Kara come closer from her position on the couch._

"Hi! _Sorry to drop in unannounced. I just got the message you wanted to see me- those flowers are beautiful," Kara said all in a rush, apparently easily distracted or trying to distract. If she harbored any hard feelings after their last interaction, it didn't show. If she was honest, Lena was marginally concerned that Kara wouldn't want to see her again._

" _They're called Plumerias. They're pretty rare," she explained, closing the CatCo magazine she had been reading with Kara's article in it while sitting up a little on the couch. Kara face softened as she continued to stare down at the flowers, seemingly lost in a memory as she replied,_

" _They remind me of my mother."_

" _Was your mother a writer too?" Lena questioned lightly, hungry to know more about this woman. She knew so very little about the reporter's life that any detail was a welcome gift. She was also determined to show Kara that she could tell her things; after that interview, she knew Kara would have a hard time trusting her. Hell, she was having a hard time trusting her own judgement after the near mistake she made with that prototype._

" _No, I guess she was… sort of a lawyer," Kara responded vaguely. Lena didn't know what she had expected; Kara wasn't just going to blurt out and tell her whole life story, but Lena could be patient. She was determined to win Kara's trust, no matter how long it took._

" _Well…, you have a natural gift with words... Your article was amazing," Lena praised, setting the magazine on the table in front of her, but not before catching Kara's relieved smile._

" _I knew you'd make a great reporter but when I heard your- bleeding heart pro-alien views I thought you'd do a hatchet job on me," Lena continued, trying to keep the seriousness to a minimum, instead choosing to poke fun a little at their exchange._

 _Lena watched as the blonde set her purse down heavily and lowered herself down onto the couch next to her. Happy at their newfound closeness, Lena adjusted her position to give the woman her undivided attention._

" _Oh, I tried. I tried. I wrote a scathing article about your device…," she admitted, trailing off with her gaze anywhere in the room besides Lena at first._

" _And…?" Lena prompted, curious at what had changed her mind._

" _My boss tossed it. He made me redo it," she revealed, finally meeting Lena's eyes, a chastised, tight-lipped smile on her face._

" _Ah, well that explains it," her voice dripping with sarcasm, Lena looked away. Of course, Kara would want to tear her to shreds, she couldn't say that she really blamed her._

" _The funny thing is I'm glad he did. I mean, not at first but some things happened that made me rethink my position," Kara countered, and Lena was surprised to say the least. She still knew she had been in the wrong but the reporter admitting to seeing her side took her completely off guard._

" _Do tell," Lena lifted her elbow to rest on the back of the couch, hand lacing through her hair and giving Kara her full attention. That had probably come off flirtier than she had intended it, or had it? Either way she watched as the blonde squirmed a little, her cheeks flushing to almost the same color as the deep red dress she wore. As was her habit when she was flustered (as Lena was quickly learning), Kara's mouth opened and closed several times before she formulated a response._

" _I still think Alien Amnesty is a good thing but," Kara paused to adjust her glasses, another unconscious habit, before acknowledging, "there are bad aliens out there."_

 _It seemed like Kara was really grappling with her evolving views on this and Lena couldn't help but smile at her slight discomfort._ _But something about Kara's admission made Lena think there was more to this story than the woman was letting on._ _She wondered if the "some things that happened," had anything to do with the President being attacked twice by an alien while she was in National City. She wasn't wrong… there were bad aliens out there, but thanks to Kara she could now see that didn't give her the right to force anyone, especially Kara, to reveal themselves to her just because she was afraid._

" _Well, I'm glad you can see from my point of view," she said to her, and she did appreciate Kara trying to understand her fear. This woman never ceased to amaze her. She had come and extended the olive branch, even though they both knew Lena was in the wrong._

 _The warm smile she gave the blonde only caused her to look away and push those glasses up her nose once again. She wasn't sure what compelled her to do it, but Lena felt the need to explain herself further. Even if Kara now understood her rationale for the device, it still didn't make it ethical or less dangerous._

" _You know, when I was first adopted by the Luthor's, I adored Lex. When he showed his true colors, I was crushed. I tried everything to bring him back to the side of good but it was no use. I lost him...," Lena could feel Kara's piercing blue eyes on her as she spoke, only finding the gumption to return the gaze after a few moments. She could see the blonde's pink lips part as if to say something, but Lena didn't want Kara's pity. She wanted her to see why her experiences with Lex had made her the cold and cautious person she was today._

" _Finally, I realized that some people are just bad, there's nothing you can do to change that… but you can learn to protect yourself," she finished and she seemed to sense that something she said had struck a chord with Kara as well._

" _Yeah," Kara agreed, awarding her with a warm smile, one that made Lena feel like Kara knew something she didn't. Lena had difficulty maintaining eye contact with those blue eyes gazing at her like that, so she had to look away. Once Kara's gaze averted as well, like a magnet, her eyes were drawn right back to the blonde reporter, studying her beautiful face, and knowing that Kara would reveal herself in her own time, and that was okay with her._

* * *

Looking back on it, Lena could see that she had been in the wrong. She had ended up destroying the prototype shortly after this interaction with Kara despite the interview being published for the world to see. Because, even though the reporter had told her she could understand her views, Lena had concluded that the damage to human-alien relations would be too great. She had allowed her personal issues about Lex's betrayal and being targeted by bad aliens to cloud her better judgement but also her morals.

Kara's understanding had only made her feel worse because she had fully expected the reporter to judge her harshly and never want to be around her again. But, she hadn't. In true Kara Danvers fashion, she had shown Lena nothing but compassion, something Lena had to wrap her mind around.

So, with those memories in mind, Lena had opted to take Kara somewhere she would be reminded of why she had done the right thing in releasing the lead into the atmosphere as well as get her out and exposed to some of Earth's yellow Sun.

She could've had George drive them but it was a short walk and it just meant that Lena could spend more time with Kara. There was nothing in this world she had come to love more than simply being in the blonde superhero's presence.

As they made their way out of the apartment and onto the street, she could tell that Kara itched to ask more questions about their destination but was trying to be polite and keep them to herself. At the blonde's request, they made a pitstop at her favorite Chinese take-out place and picked up some lunch. Lena had to hide a bemused grin as Kara ordered half the menu for herself, even though they had just had donuts. She guessed the Kryptonian was feeling better already based on her appetite.

Her heels clicked on the pavement loudly compared to the soft footfalls of Kara's flats beside her, despite the woman practically bouncing in excitement. Lena smiled to herself, loving the way that Kara always seemed to treat the world as if she had just landed here.

They arrived at the park and Lena gave the other woman a sideways glance to gauge her reaction. Those blue eyes seemed to light up at the sight of the huge green space in front of them, causing Lena's heart to flutter.

"Prince Park! You know, I've lived in that apartment for years and I've always meant to come down here… I just never got around to it," Kara gushed, skipping through the ornate wrought-iron entrance gate. She spun to face Lena with a happy grin stretching her lips which Lena easily returned.

It felt so good to make Kara happy. It was a rare sight to see her so carefree any more, especially after everything that had happened the last few months, so Lena was beyond pleased to have made her feel good again.

The Kryptonian turned her face to the sky, eyes closed, seeming to soak in the Sun's rays and Lena felt accomplished. Half of her objective had been met, now to show Kara that the choice she had made between saving Earth from the Daxamites or sending Mon-El away had been the right one… without being able to outright say she knew Kara was Supergirl. It was Kara's decision to tell her about being Supergirl after all and she would respect that. Their debate about the alien detection device had taught her that.

"Well, we have all afternoon," she told her, simply basking in Kara's joy. This seemed to make Kara even happier because the blonde bounded back to her.

"Let's go!" she exclaimed, before taking ahold of Lena's hand in her excitement.

Electricity shot up her arm at the unexpected, but not unwelcome touch, and Lena's eyes drifted down to their joined hands. Every time their skin came into contact, Lena was always filled with a warmth that couldn't be explained by her logic-minded brain.

Kara seemed to realize what she had done and she immediately released her, all of her nervous habits coming through at once: a deep blush painting her pale cheeks with an anxious laugh escaping her as she fiddled with her glasses.

"I- uh… I'm- I didn't-," Kara scrambled, but Lena merely slipped her fingers to intertwine with the blonde's long, lithe ones, effectively cutting her off with a reassuring grin. Sure they had touched before, but there was something a little less platonic and a little more intimate about holding Kara's hand in public like this. It certainly wasn't something she would do with someone who was just a friend, and she hoped the same was true of Kara.

Lena watched as the reporter's smile return, wider than ever before allowing herself to be led into the park.

* * *

 **A/N: You guys are making me so happy! I didn't anticipate the positive response I would get to this fic! Every review I get inspires me to write another chapter. Also, I meant to point out in the two previous chapter that the chapter titles are named after songs. I can't write without listening to music and the songs correlate to the mood of the chapter. So, if you're interested in taking a listen, chapter 1 is "Be Not So Fearful," by A.C. Newman, Chapter 2: "Better Than Love" by Griffin House, and this chapter is "The Fear" by Ben Howard. The story is not after a song for those curious. I own none of these nor profit from them. They're just awesome. I'll try to remember to put the song/artist in the author's note of each chapter. Let me know what you think of this chapter! Thanks again!**


	4. Under the Same Sun

_Disclaimer: I do not own or profit from Supergirl or its plots or characters._

 **Chapter 4: Under the Same Sun**

* * *

Splayed out on the ground spread eagle, Kara attempted to soak in every ray of sunlight she possibly could, her gray hoodie lay beside her having been discarded long ago. The light warmed not just her skin but it permeated into every inch of her, filling her with a sense of peace. It made her think of the UV lamps at the DEO; they were fine and worked in a pinch, but nothing compared to the feel of the actual yellow Sun on her Kryptonian skin. Everything about this moment felt perfect.

Freshly cut grass filled her senses; the crisp smell, the way it tickled where her bare arms lay at her sides. She hadn't brought a blanket but she didn't mind laying directly on the ground, if anything it made her feel as though she was closer to the Earth.

Her stomach was pleasantly full after the Chinese food and it had made her sleepy, but she fought it. Keeping her eyes closed, she used her super hearing to listen to the families around them in the park to keep herself awake.

She could hear the sounds of a father pushing his young daughter on a swing, her giddy laughter filling Kara's ears. The little girl calling to him,

"Higher, Daddy! I'm Supergirl! Up, up, and away!"

This brought a smile to her face and warmed her heart. Kara felt like she worked so hard to distinguish herself from her cousin that sometimes she failed to realize that just being a female superhero did that. Little girls wanted someone to look up to and she just hoped she was worthy.

Being here, around these humans, reminded her why she wanted to be Supergirl in the first place: to help people. Sure, she selfishly wanted to be able to use her powers after years of having to just blend in but she ultimately wanted to use them for good.

So, she knew, in her heart that her choice to use the lead to send the Daxamites away had been the right decision, even if it meant killing Rhea and sending Mon-El away. The Daxamites would have enslaved them and there were too many people on this planet to let that happen, good, innocent people, people she cared about, people like Lena.

Dropping her head to the side and allowing her eyelids to lazily slide open, she searched for the subject of her thoughts. it took a second for Kara's eyes to adjust to the bright light and her eyes blinked rapidly for a moment before she could make out the silhouette of the woman beside her.

Lena sat a mere few feet away to her left, sitting with a little more dignity than Kara: her legs tucked neatly underneath her, one hand on her lap the other on the ground behind her supporting her upper body as she leaned back slightly. Lena was looking away from her, unaware that Kara was studying her, so she took the opportunity to take in every aspect of the gorgeous woman.

When they had found a spot to sit, Lena had pulled her raven hair back into a ponytail, which only seemed to accentuate her strong jawline and the delicate curve of her cheek bones. Lena had also rolled the sleeves of her shirt up to just below her elbows, revealing the fair skin of her forearms. Kara's fingers itched to touch the smooth skin there, to see if it was as soft as it looked.

Her thoughts drifted back to earlier when she had taken Lena's hand in her excitement. A smile crept onto her face again as she remembered the feeling of those warm fingers lacing with her own. Kara had been so worried that she had overstepped some unspoken boundary between them, but when Lena had reciprocated the gesture all her anxiety had vanished, only to be replaced with pure joy.

As her eyes drifted back up to Lena's face, they were only to be greeted by bright, emerald ones gazing back at her. Immediately, Kara lowered her gaze with a guilty smile, a flutter in her chest, knowing she'd been caught staring. Attempting to play it cool, Kara pretended like she had been meaning to say something to Lena.

"You know, I never pegged you as the outdoorsy type," she teased lightly, adjusting her position so her arms were folded under her head. She was vaguely aware of her shirt riding up at her movement but she ignored it, enjoying the increased exposure to the sun.

Lena seemed amused by her statement, judging by the smirk curling her lips but her eyes had glided downward to where Kara's lower stomach was now displayed. Heat that had nothing to do with the Sun, began to radiate through her body watching Lena staring at her exposed midriff like that, but she made no move to cover herself.

The raven-haired woman seemed to recover because her eyes drifted back to hers slowly, the smirk never leaving her face as she replied,

"There are a great many things you don't know about me."

A pleasurable chill ran up Kara's spine. It hadn't been what Lena had said as much as the way she had said it. And all Kara knew for certain was that she couldn't wait to discover this woman's mysteries.

* * *

 _Kara didn't have time; she had to see Lena right away. J'onn's life may be at stake. So, despite her great respect for the CEO, Kara may have used some of her abilities to get passed the majority of L Corp's security._

 _When she arrived at the top floor, Jess the assistant flew out of her chair to stop her but Kara ignored her. She knew it was late but she had a feeling Lena was still working and a quick use of her X-Ray vision had confirmed that suspicion. The CEO appeared to be standing behind her desk, hands planted on either side of some paper she was reviewing a little too intensely for a Friday night._

 _A weird feeling of pity sank in her stomach like a stone…_

 _Did Lena have nowhere else to be? Didn't she do anything outside of work? Surely, someone of her stature would have friends and plans and whatnot._

 _Pushing these thoughts from her mind for the time being, Kara slowed her pace only slightly to walk past Jess to keep her super powers secret but quick enough to keep the assistant from stopping her._

 _"Sorry, you can't go in there!" Jess stomped behind Kara, who continued to disregard her. So, Jess addressed Lena directly,_

" _I swear, I just blinked and she got passed me."_

 _"Lena, I'm sorry. This is my fault," Kara talked over Jess, not wanting Lena to get angry with the assistant, taking full responsibility, especially since she had used her powers._

 _"She's so fast," Jess was doing her best to defend herself to Lena, and Kara felt a hair guilty for rushing past her but she really didn't have time for this._

 _"I just need to talk to you," Kara pleaded, hoping the powerful woman wouldn't have her thrown out for her intrusion. Lena had straightened up from her position leaning over her desk, waiting patiently for the two of them to finish before speaking directly to the anxious assistant,_

 _"Jess, will you make a note downstairs that Kara Danvers is to be shown in right away whenever possible?"_

 _"Yes, Ms. Luthor," she replied reluctantly, seeming chastised and leaving the office promptly regardless._

 _"Really?" Kara blurted, surprised that had been Lena's response to her bursting in here uninvited._

" _Thank you," she quickly followed it, watching Jess leave the room. She had been so surprised at Lena's reaction that she was having difficulty processing all of it. Of the various scenarios that she had run through in her mind how her interaction with Lena would have gone, this hadn't been one of them. She watched as the woman gracefully took a seat behind her desk._

 _Looking down at the gorgeous woman in front of her made her temporarily forget why she was here in the first place. Lena wore dark red chino pants with a simple sleeveless black blouse that had a modest V-neck. This outfit showed off more of the woman's pale skin than Kara was accustomed to seeing and it was making it difficult for her to focus._

 _Why was it so warm in here suddenly? It was normal to think a woman was attractive, right?_

 _"Now… how can I help?" Lena asked, gazing up at Kara with those emerald eyes expectantly, reminding her that J'onn was still in trouble._

 _"I…I…uh… think a friend of mine has gotten involved in something shady," she stuttered but was eventually able to get her words out. Kara always had a difficult time formulating a coherent sentence when she was in the same room with Lena._

 _"A friend?" the brunette repeated with a slight question in her voice. It appeared as though Lena was trying to gauge if Kara was talking about someone she was in a relationship with, which made a blush warm her cheeks for some reason. The nervousness returned full force with the implication that Lena Luthor was seemingly interested in her love life, so she clarified almost too quickly,_

 _"No! An actual friend and now he's missing."_

 _Before she continued, Kara took a calming breath, trying to quell her nerves, "Do you know of a woman named Veronica Sinclair? She caters to people in your…uhm… your circles."_

 _Even as the question and the subsequent, unnecessary, explanation came out of her mouth, Kara slightly regretted her phrasing. She hated that she had just compared Lena to all the other people at those alien fight club meet ups. That hadn't been her intention at all, but she realized now that she had made an assumption in her desperate attempt to find answers. Kara knew the Luthor worked tirelessly, as evidenced by her being at work so late into the night, to change people's opinions of her and L Corp. Kara just hoped she hadn't offended the woman who was quickly becoming like a friend to her, if that was the right word._

 _She chanced a glance at the woman through her lashes, watching as Lena gave a wry smile._

" _Tight dresses? Tattoos like Lisbeth Salander? Yeah, I know Roulette... We went to boarding school together... I never liked her," Lena replied, revealing a little more of her history to Kara. The Luthor gave her bread crumbs of her past almost every time they met, leaving Kara wanting to know more. But it was easy to see this woman had been through a lot in her life and Kara was willing to be patient, willing to take what Lena gave her._

 _"I need to find her," Kara told her breathlessly, relieved Lena knew who she was talking about. J'onn's life depended on it._

 _"Well, that's the trick isn't it. Her little fight clubs stay mobile," Lena said dryly and as much as she wanted to stay here with Lena, now that she was reminded of what was at stake she tried to get to the point without being rude. She didn't want Lena to feel like she only came to see her was when she needed something._

 _"But do you know where's she's holding the next fight?" she pressed, before quickly adding, "I wouldn't ask if I had any other option." She just hoped that Lena didn't feel like she was just taking advantage of her kindness and power for her own gain._

 _"I'm a Luthor. Of course, I'm invited to her little pop-up," Lena sighed, taking a pen and writing something down on a notepad in front of her, before continuing, "Not that I'm interested in her type of entertainment." Kara could hear the disdain with which dripped from Lena's words and in a strange way it comforted her. After their previous interaction regarding Alien Amnesty and Lena's alien detection device, Kara had concerns that Lena may have secretly harbored some anti-alien views, even if they were subconsciously. She was curious to know what had come of the device, seeing as how she hadn't heard about it again. But that was for another time._

 _Lena tore the paper from the notepad, stood up, and stepped around her desk to stand in front of Kara. The closeness just reminded her again of the brunette's allure but Kara didn't have time to dwell on those feelings because the woman was holding the paper out to her. Kara accepted it gratefully, hardly believing she had gotten the answer she had come here for and more._

 _"Thank you… I owe you big time," Kara gushed, hoping to convey the depth of her gratitude. Now she could go save J'onn, a man that had come to be a father figure to her._

 _Kara knew she needed to leave right then, knew that every second lost could mean J'onn was in more danger but she couldn't seem to get her feet to move until Lena responded._

 _"Not at all... I know you'll be there for me when the time comes," Lena told her and there was something in those green eyes that Kara couldn't quite read. It was almost as if she had some hidden knowledge, some glimpse into the future. Kara wished she could stay but J'onn was in danger and she took her leave quickly, feeling Lena's eyes on her as she walked away._

* * *

The memory of that interaction just confirmed Lena's statement that Kara didn't know a lot about her. This woman always seemed to know something she didn't though. It was like life was a big chessboard and Lena was constantly at least two steps ahead of her. She yearned to find out every detail Lena would bestow upon her and so Kara would be patient.

They had fallen into a comfortable silence once again; Lena looking away to watch a couple of children flying a kite nearby. Kara decided to break out the sketch book while the brunette was distracted. Rolling over onto her stomach and supporting her upper body with her elbows, Kara flipped the book open to a blank page. She selected the black pastel and began lightly sketching a rough outline.

Initially, when the CEO had discovered her art, Kara had been extremely self-conscious; she knew she wasn't bad but she really wanted Lena to like them. Of course, her anxiety had been unnecessary but something just made her want to impress the CEO.

Covertly watching the raven-haired woman, Kara swept the pastel across the page, tracing her jawline into the delicate curve of her neck. She couldn't help but imagine her fingertips running along those actual lines, much softer than the harsh edges of Mon-El.

A pang of guilt shot through her remembering her boyfriend, who hadn't even been gone a week. But no matter how hard she tried to quash these feelings for Lena, Kara knew it was futile. If she was honest with herself, these feelings had been building for a long time, even before she and Mon-El were together. So, why was she just now allowing herself to acknowledge them?

It was the question Kara had no answer to, but it didn't matter. She wouldn't- couldn't- act on them anyway, not while she was still hiding this huge secret from her.

Lena of all people deserved to know she was Supergirl after everything they had been through together, but Lena also deserved to be safe. Either way, it felt wrong to pursue anything further than friendship when she wasn't even being honest about who she really was.

'Was there even anything more than friendship to pursue?' she couldn't help but wonder, especially since moving beyond friendship always seemed to be a poor choice for her. So, Kara wasn't even sure a relationship was in the cards for her, and yet... what was this thing between her and Lena?

The portrait was starting to come together, her hands moving of their own accord now as she openly stared at Lena. She decided to stick to the black pastel as she reached the slope of her nose and her almond shaped eyes. Choosing to add color in only one place: her eyes, which reflected all the light from the Sun. Those eyes seemed to make her feel more at peace than the actual Sun.

It was times like these that Kara still had a hard time believing that this woman wanted to spend time with someone like her. After all, Lena was a powerful, intelligent, gorgeous CEO. Not only that, but Lena regularly sought out her company.

* * *

" _Kara," came the soft familiar voice behind her and her head practically snapped up in surprise. No amount of super senses could prepare her for the sight of the gorgeous CEO here at CatCo of all places._

 _"Lena!" she exclaimed in her shock, the woman's broad grin distracting. Despite this, she somehow managed to ask, "Surprise visit to CatCo?"_

 _Lena was absolutely beautiful, as usual. Her midnight black hair was flawlessly pulled back into a clip; she wore a forest green jacket over a black V-necked blouse. Those green eyes of hers lowered for just a moment._ _Was that a hint of shyness that Kara detected? Not possible. Not from the confidant businesswoman._

 _"No, I'm here to see you actually," Lena admitted, the smile never leaving her red painted lips._

 _"You are?" Kara asked with disbelief. Why would Lena come to her office to see her? She had every right to with the amount of times Kara had just shown up at L Corp, but still._

 _"L Corp is hosting a party this weekend. It's a gala fundraiser for the Children's Hospital after that horrific attack on their new building," Lena explained, and Kara could see the compassion in those emerald depths. Luthor Corp, or L Corp as it was now named, had never done anything that would actually help the citizens of National City, so Kara was pleased to hear that Lena was doing something positive with her influence. Kara continued to watch as Lena took a sharp intake of breath before finishing,_

" _I was hoping you'd come."_

 _Kara grinned broadly and she could feel the blush warming her neck but she did her best to will it away before Lena noticed. This was becoming quite the habit for her when the CEO was around, but it was worth it if it meant she got to spend time with her. The idea that this high-profile woman not only thought she should come to her party but came to her place of work to ask her in person... Kara was having a hard time wrapping her mind around it. Before she could formulate a coherent response, Mon-El interjected into their conversation with,_

 _"Gala. Is that like a party?"_

 _"No! No, it's not," she shot back quickly as the Daxamite came to stand behind her. The last thing she wanted was for him to be here right now. She leaned forward slightly, trying to edge him out of the conversation as well as get closer to Lena._

 _"You are literally my only friend in National City. Most people wouldn't touch a Luthor with a ten-foot pole, but…," Lena paused, biting her bottom lip and looked at her hopefully,_

" _It would mean a lot to me if you were there."_

 _Kara was pretty sure there were a hundred butterflies caught in a tornado in her stomach, not to mention her lungs seemed to have collapsed based on the difficulty she was having breathing. This high-profile CEO considered her a friend... her only friend. With the way Lena was looking at her, even if she wanted to how could she possibly deny her? Doing her best to keep her emotions in check, Kara gave Lena a warm smile and replied without hesitation,_

 _"Of course, I'll come. I'm honored."_

 _Lena smiled back at her and she couldn't seem to tear her eyes away from the woman. There was something happening between them that Kara couldn't quite put her finger on but she was excited to spend more time with this woman to find out what it was._

 _"I love parties. Can I come too?"_

 _She had almost forgotten Mon-El was still there. Of course, he would ruin the moment. She looked over at him with a glance that just said, 'Seriously?'_

 _"No," Kara curtly told him, but the damage had been done. Lena was too nice. So, Kara dropped her head as she waited for this part of the interaction to be over._

 _"Oh, well, of course your friend can come. What is your name?" Lena asked politely and Kara wished more than anything that Mon-El had just kept his mouth shut._

 _"Mike… of the Interns," the Daxamite replied, over-emphasizing his words and all Kara could do was maintain the tight-lipped smile which had begun to feel more like a grimace at this point._

 _"Well, Mike of the Interns, find yourself a nice suit and I'll see you there," Lena told him throwing Kara a smile before turning to leave._

 _"Bye," Kara bid her with a nervous smile which transformed into a warmer one as she watched the CEO walk away._

 _"We are going to a party," Mon-El told her excitedly but she was over him. Grabbing his stupid Twizzler, Kara practically stomped away in frustration._

* * *

"Kara?"

The sound of her name startled her out of her reverie and she lifted her eyes to the source. Lena smiled down at her warmly and she could feel her own lips curve upwards automatically.

"I'm sorry… did you say something?" Kara asked, supporting herself on one elbow while fiddling with her glasses with the other briefly. Lena's smile just widened, a playful glimmer in her eyes that seemed to watch Kara's every move.

"I was just curious what you were drawing," the brunette told her with a slight shrug of her shoulder that seemed to signify that Kara didn't have to respond if she didn't want to.

"Oh! I-uh…," as usual words seemed to have escaped her. Why did this always happen around the CEO? Lena always seemed to know exactly how to make her squirm, or at least that's how it felt. She quickly lowered her gaze, trying to decide what to do, her heart pounding.

Her mind reeled, the familiar heat creeping up her neck, setting her face on fire in embarrassment. Could she really show Lena that she had in fact been sketching her? It's not that she thought it was bad, quite the opposite, she felt like it captured the raven-haired woman fairly well. Nothing would ever compare to the real thing but she was quite proud of it. Now, why couldn't she just show it to her? Would that be weird? Would Lena think she was creepy?

All the while, those intense emerald eyes were watching her and ultimately Kara knew she was powerless against them. Not trusting her voice, Kara instead silently lowered the sketch book flat on the ground so Lena could see.

Holding her breath, Kara waited as Lena leaned forward slightly to peer down at the sketch. Still no response and Kara tentatively raised her eyes to gauge the other woman's reaction. Lena's eyes were glued to the paper, and then without a word, the CEO slid onto her stomach on the grass beside Kara.

Their sudden closeness caused a shot of adrenaline to course through her body, making her heart race and her breathing to become shallow. She could feel her palms clam up, but she told herself that all of this had to be the heat. But she also knew she was lying to herself. Lena just had this effect on her. Always had.

* * *

 _Kara had been too focused on what Alex had been about to tell her and her own drama to realize someone had approached her apartment. So, the knock came as a surprise but not as much of a surprise as who was behind the door._

 _Using her x-ray vision, her eyes fell on the last person she would have expected._

" _What is she doing here?" she said more to herself than to Alex, but she was vaguely aware of her sister asking, "who?" Her feet had already carried her towards the door of their own accord._

 _"Lena! Hi! Come on in," Kara greeted brightly, admiring how well put together the CEO always was. Today, she wore a white dress with a tan trench coat over top, her raven hair pulled back into a tight ponytail._

 _"I'm sorry to keep dropping in on you. It's-," she heard Lena began, before cutting herself off and redirecting her words to Alex._

 _"Hey-uhm. I know you… you saved my life," she said and if Kara didn't know any better she thought she heard the woman lose a little of the confidence in her wording._

 _Was that... jealousy? No way it had to be something else. Panicking internally, Kara wracked her brain quickly to remember if Lena knew anything about Alex that would link her to Supergirl, but she couldn't. When Lena had shot Corbin, saving Alex, Kara had been there as Supergirl… did Lena recognize her now that she and Alex were standing here in another context?_

 _Luckily, either way, Alex was better at keeping her cool under duress._

 _"Special Agent Alex Danvers. FBI," the elder Danvers sister introduced herself, holding out a hand for Lena which the woman accepted. Wheels still appeared to be turning in the brunette's head and the strange need to clarify her relationship with Alex came over her._

 _"She's my sister," she added quickly, not that it was necessary to keep her identity as Supergirl hidden but it felt important that Lena know._

 _"Oh, this city's smaller than I thought," she could feel Lena turn her attention back to her, but Kara didn't know if she trusted herself enough to meet those emerald eyes._

 _"Well, actually maybe you can both help me," Lena continued and Kara was unable to look away any longer. At hearing Lena needed her help, Kara gave the CEO her full attention as she continued,_

" _Remember I told you about that stupid fight club last week..."_

 _Kara nodded her head vigorously, anxious to hear what this surprise visit was all about._

 _"Now it's my turn to ask for a favor."_

 _Kara knew looking into those eyes has been a bad idea. Without hesitation, she replied,_

 _"Anything. Shoot."_

 _Lena seemed to consider something before finally stating,_

 _"I need to get in touch with Supergirl."_

 _The rush of thoughts and feelings that raced through her were barely contained but she did her best to keep them from being revealed on her face. Maybe it wasn't a good idea but she glanced towards her sister who merely shrugged in response._

 _Of course, she readily agreed._

 _Her heart swelled at the idea that Lena was asking her, Kara Danvers- girl reporter, for a favor. After everything Lena had done for her, Kara was happy to return the favor. But another part of her cringed at the idea that Lena wanted to meet with Supergirl, despite her curiosity. The less interaction she had with Lena as the superhero, the less she felt like she had to lie to the woman. She was quickly coming to care for the Luthor and she had a feeling that lying to Lena to keep her identity a secret was going to hurt like hell._

* * *

Lena's shoulder pressed into hers as the woman mirrored her position on the ground beside her. Even though their skin wasn't touching, Kara could still feel the warmth radiating from Lena through the thin material of her shirt. It had surprised her a little at first, but she relaxed into the simple contact, wishing she knew if Lena had the same reaction as her every time they touched.

She watched as Lena's fingers reached out to the thick paper, hovering over the strokes of her pastel, not quite touching. Something about the gesture felt strangely intimate, as if Lena was trying to imagine Kara's hand moving along the paper. Blood rushed to her ears at the thought, but Kara pushed it away, writing it off as wishful thinking.

"Kara…," the way Lena said her name always seemed to make her heart flutter a little the way no one else did. It felt as if that was the way her name was supposed to sound and she'd only just discovered it when she met this woman.

"This is…," Kara rarely saw the CEO at a loss for words and her heart was doing funny things in her chest.

Was scrambling to try and say something nice about her art but just couldn't? The anticipation was killing her, so she felt like she had to fill the void.

"I- uh- I'm s-s-sorry. I shouldn't have- I'll just-," Kara stuttered, embarrassed and ashamed that she had drawn Lena without her permission and made it weird. Like she always did.

She made to close the sketch book but a gentle hand on hers halted any further movement. Her eyes snapped down to see Lena's fingers curling around her hand and she could immediately feel the warmth spreading from that spot to her entire body.

Finding her courage, Kara allowed her eyes to slowly slide upwards to meet Lena's. Those green eyes were filled with something that Kara couldn't quite read but whatever it was, it made her feel happy. That was the only word to describe it. All her nerves melted away and it was just her and Lena, laying side by side, faces mere inches apart from one another.

An overwhelming desire to close the distance and kiss Lena washed over Kara. She was right there. And she was beautiful, and she was smarter and braver than any woman she knew. And she was looking at her like that.

' _And your boyfriend just left. And she doesn't know I've been lying to her this whole time.'_ a small voice in the back of her mind reminded her. Guilt wracked her entire body and, as much as she hated it, she had to break the connection with Lena or she really would kiss her. Lena deserved better after all of the people who had betrayed her.

Kara cleared her throat slightly and shifted away by half an inch, just enough so Lena's shoulder wasn't pressed against hers anymore, Lena's hand retreating from hers as well. A choice she immediately regretted.

Thankfully, Lena could speak because she certainly hadn't found her voice yet.

"You really should give up reporting to be an artist," the CEO tried to lighten the mood again with a teasing smirk. Kara just gave a short laugh, still unable to process exactly how close she had come to kissing the woman beside her.

What did that mean? Was she gay? Bi? What happened to, 'friends?'"

Lena's voice cut through her tangled thoughts,

"May I have this?"

It took a second for her brain to register what Lena had said and she stared blankly at the sketchbook in her hands. Her internal struggle must have showed on her face because Lena picked up on it fairly quickly.

"Hey…," that soft voice wouldn't let her hide inside her mind and Kara looked back up at Lena. Her eyes looked full of concern, a little wrinkle creasing her smooth forehead, and Kara immediately hated that she was one that caused it.

"Yeah?" she managed, still not trusting herself enough to say much more than that, especially since it felt like her throat was closing with emotion.

"Are you all right?" Lena questioned, causing a twinge in Kara's chest. Some Girl of Steel she was.

"Oh, I'm fine," Kara did her best to convince the woman with a smile. Needing a distraction and remembering Lena's request, Kara carefully tore the page from her sketchbook and held it out for Lena.

That twinge had turned into a full-blown stab in her heart every time she had to lie to Lena about her identity as Supergirl. And even times like this when she wasn't. Kara knew she couldn't continue like this much longer. She needed to tell Lena and soon.

* * *

 **A/N: You guys are awesome! I'm glad you're enjoying this fic! I love reading the reviews and hearing your ideas because they inspire me to write even more. I know this chapter was a smidge cliché but I couldn't help myself, especially when it was requested ;). There's also an Easter Egg for any WayHaught fans who may be reading. But anyway, As their relationship develops in the flashbacks, things will heat up in the present as well. So, I hope y'all are on board for an angsty, slow-burn, fluff fest of a story! This chapter is named after Under the Same Sun by Ben Howard again. Let me know what you all think!**


	5. Dust to Dust

_Disclaimer: I do not own or profit from Supergirl or its plots or characters._

 **Chapter 5:** **Dust to Dust**

* * *

Lena was certain she hadn't imagined it.

Shortly after Kara had showed her the sketch, there had been a moment… it had been brief but there was no mistaking that it had been real.

Those sapphire eyes had captured hers and held them, unflinchingly.

In that time, Lena couldn't help but notice that Kara's characteristic nervousness had temporarily vanished; no fidgeting with her glasses, no awkward smile, just an intense stare. Kara's eyes were so expressive that Lena could almost see the internal struggle in them through the lenses.

With the other woman looking at her that way, Lena had entirely forgotten about everything around them. All she had been aware of was the comforting pressure of Kara's shoulder leaning into hers and the way her own heart had begun to pound in her chest.

Their faces had been so close. If Lena didn't know any better it had seemed as though the reporter had even leaned in slightly…

Was Kara going to kiss her?

Lena wished that she had. She wanted to know so badly what those lips would feel like against her own, wondered what they would taste like.

Then it was over… Kara abruptly broke the contact, shifting away just a bit, so Lena was left questioning if her mind had just fabricated the whole thing.

It was as if a switch had gone off in the blonde, because all of sudden she seemed to retreat into herself, something Kara didn't do very often. Lena had asked her if everything was all right, but Kara just seemed to have shut down on her, an invisible wall going up between them.

And Lena knew a thing or two about walls. After all, she was typically the one putting them up to keep people out, guarding them fiercely against anyone who might try to break them down. But she had been powerless against the blonde reporter next to her. Somehow Kara had come around and took them down, brick by brick, making her vulnerable.

So, to see Kara building up her own… It made Lena feel as if she had failed the woman somehow. Kara wasn't cold like her. This was someone who usually wore her heart on her sleeve.

Her whole plan had been to bring the superhero here to help her feel better and she thought it had been working up until just then. Lena wracked her brain to figure out if she had done or said something to trigger Kara to turn inwards, but she came up short.

Was it something to do with Mon-El? Lena felt a little guilty that she selfishly hoped Kara would move past her boyfriend's departure, but she was here for Kara, in any capacity she needed, for as long as she needed. The woman needed time and Lena had no intentions of rushing Kara.

For one, she didn't even know if the blonde even felt anything for her. Even though, she suspected that there was something there, she wasn't about to jump to conclusions. Lena had gotten herself hurt too many times thinking people cared for her when they were just trying to use her. She knew Kara would never intentionally hurt her, but she didn't want assume Kara felt anything beyond friendship.

And, if Kara really did care for her as more than a friend, Lena didn't know if it was wise to be the one to make the first move. The alien didn't strike her as someone who had ever dated women, not that Lena had ever dated an alien. Either way, there was too much unsaid between them right now.

* * *

 _Mindlessly, Lena scrolled through the schematics of her latest venture, a Black Body Field Generator. After seeing the carnage these bandits with Andranian Photon Canons were wreaking upon National City and the way Supergirl was getting hurt time and again trying to fight them off, Lena knew she had to do something. So, she planned this gala to lure the bandits in as well as raise money to help the Children's Hospital they had been responsible for damaging. She just knew with Supergirl's help she could render their weapons useless and finally stop them. But as much as she wanted-no, needed- to solve the issues with the device before her gala tomorrow night she couldn't seem to focus._

 _Kara had told her she would get in touch with Supergirl for her and she trusted the reporter would keep her word. The anticipation of seeing the superhero again was making her a little anxious. After all, she was an all-powerful alien that could kill her in at least a hundred different ways. Yet… this alien had saved her life when Corben attacked her and again had tried to protect the spectators at the renaming ceremony. Either way, Lena had a lot riding on this meeting; her plans to stop these bandits required Supergirl's attendance at this party._

 _The slight rush of air and the sound of boots hitting the concrete behind her, made Lena look up from her work. She had left the glass balcony door open for this very purpose but she still couldn't get used to the idea that someone who looked so human could fly right up here._

 _She turned to look back at the alien, her eyes greeted with the sight of the familiar woman in the iconic red and blue. If she was honest with herself, Lena found the superhero rather attractive. How could she not? She was gorgeous with her perfect blonde hair and clear blue eyes._

 _But there was just something about her… Lena couldn't put her finger on it. Lena was someone who was hungry for knowledge and the fact that she couldn't figure this woman out was really starting to bother her._

" _Supergirl," she greeted a little more breathlessly than she intended as she watched the superhero stride into her office._

 _"You wanted to see me," was the superhero's curt response, fists on her hips, her chest puffed out._

 _Lena was a fairly good judge of people after all of the liars and manipulators she had been around her entire life. Something about the way Supergirl presented herself felt forced; as if she was trying so hard to look the part. Lena knew a thing or two about keeping up appearances._

 _Following the superhero with her eyes as she crossed into her office, Lena observed how the woman didn't meet her eyes, instead looking straight ahead. Lena's eyes certainly were glued to her though, appreciating how the tight material of the woman's suit stretched over her biceps._

 _"Yeah, uhm. Thank you for coming," Lena began and she wasn't sure why she was so nervous all of a sudden. There was just something about being in the presence of someone so powerful and, honestly, beautiful that her words seemed to have been stolen from her. Nevertheless, she collected herself and continued her pitch,_

" _I wanted to invite you to my party."_

 _Lena's eyes followed the blonde as she strode deeper into the office, facing away from her as Lena came to perch on the edge of her desk. She wished the superhero would turn around so she could continue to study her face. There was something so familiar about her…_

 _"Kara Danvers told me you were going on with the fundraiser," Supergirl explained in a voice she could almost place. Then she turned and became more authoritative, "You can't. It's definitely going to be a target for this gang."_

 _She wasn't in the habit of taking orders from anyone, but she had learned long ago that you caught more flies with honey than with vinegar. So, Lena wasn't going to give up that easily._

 _"Well, that's why I want you to be there. With Supergirl in attendance I know my guests and I will be safe," she clarified, hoping to play into the superhero's ego a little. But she was thankful Supergirl was finally meeting her eyes, even if she was being patronizing._

 _"You like to take risks, don't you? When Corben was after you… now this… why?" Supergirl questioned, her brow knitted tightly as she folded her arms across her chest._

 _"Well, you can't live in fear. You more than anyone must understand that…," again Lena tried to relate to the superhero, standing up from her desk and walking around to stand in front of Supergirl._

 _Now, that she had closed some of the distance between them, she could really see the alien better. Lena met her stare head on and with the blonde's forehead creased the way it was, Lena couldn't help but notice the tiny scar next to her left eyebrow. She thought that was strange… Lena had spent her whole life studying aliens and their technologies and she could've sworn that Kryptonians had extremely tough skin while on Earth… like steel. Unless she had been wounded by Kryptonite, the alien must've gotten it while on Krypton. A wave of curiosity hit her but she focused on the task at hand._

" _Time and again you risk everything to see justice done. Is it so hard to believe I feel the same way? Or are you one of those that thinks that there's no such thing as a good Luthor?" Lena challenged her, tilting her head to the side slightly. The smallest twinge of guilt pricked at her heart, knowing she was essentially manipulating Supergirl to come to her party and withholding key information, but she didn't believe the blonde would let her go through with it if she was forthcoming with the plan._

 _Not everyone was Kara Danvers and could see that she was just trying to do the right thing._

 _The image of the reporter floated into her mind as she continued staring at Supergirl. They were fairly close now and with Kara's face in her mind she couldn't help but notice the resemblance. She didn't have time to dwell because Supergirl shot back quickly._

 _"I believe everyone should be judged on their own merits," Supergirl countered and Lena knew she almost had her. Those blue eyes had darkened slightly, and Lena knew if she didn't keep going she might lose her nerve._

 _"Then judge me on mine. This party must happen and I am asking you for your help," she implored her, and every word was true. Technically, she hadn't lied to the superhero at all but it still felt wrong using her this way. But Lena was sure the end was going to justify the means. Sure, the gala would raise valuable money for the Children's Hospital but she also knew that with her Black Body Field Generator and Supergirl's help they'd be able to stop these bandits for good and hurt Cadmus' cause just a little._

 _"I guess I have no choice," the blonde replied, her pink lips tilting upwards in a bemused smirk, playfully admitting defeat. Lena couldn't stop her own victorious smile, thrilled she had been able to convince the hero to come to her party; her plan was finally starting to come together._

 _"Thank you…So, Kara and I will see you tomorrow night?" she verified, mentioning their shared friend again._

 _"Right! Yes… Kara and I will_ both _be at your party," Supergirl assured her awkwardly, before stepping out onto the balcony and flying away without another word._

 _The reporter's face floated to the surface of her mind once again and for a second she thought maybe… but no. That wasn't possible._

* * *

They spent another hour or so at the park, mostly in comfortable silence.

By this point, Lena had rolled onto her back, her knees bent, one arm tucked under her head for support, the other draped lazily over her stomach. The heat of the afternoon had dissipated somewhat so she had let her hair down from the ponytail; it fanned out underneath her head now.

Most people probably thought she was too uptight to stoop to the level of laying on the ground like this, and most days they'd be right. But today she was with Kara.

There was something oddly refreshing about forgetting her dignity and disregarding her expensive clothes to lay on the ground like this. Honestly, when she had initially lowered herself down next to Kara, Lena hadn't given it much thought, only wanting to be near the blonde reporter.

The woman in question had rolled back over onto her back too after making a few more sketches. Kara now lay next to her, staring up at the clouds and Lena couldn't help but wonder what was going on in that beautiful brain of hers.

Daylight was dwindling, but Lena didn't want this day to end; she didn't want to leave the reporter's company. Then an idea popped into her head.

"You know, I haven't seen Supergirl since she saved me from the Daxamite ship," Lena mused, trying to sound off-hand. Not daring to look, Lena covertly tried to watch the woman's reaction out of the corner of her eye. She thought maybe she could secretly convince Kara to visit her as Supergirl later, just so she could spend even a little more time with her.

"Yeah, weird. Maybe she took a vacation or something," Kara replied shortly, but not rudely. Her face a flat mask as she stared resolutely up at the darkening sky. But even Lena could see the slight reddening of her ears in the dim light.

"Perhaps…I never did have the opportunity to thank her for saving me," Lena said and it was true. She would thank Kara but well, she wasn't supposed to know she was Supergirl, so she would play along for as long as Kara needed her to.

"I'm sure she knows… Anyway, we should, uh, probably get going. I think the park is closing soon," Kara seemed to be trying to deflect her statements. This was not a typical reaction from Kara… usually she didn't shy away from talking about Supergirl; she would just come up with a quick excuse or some story on the spot, but not today for some reason.

They walked back to Kara's apartment primarily in silence, save for the sounds of other people on the streets of National City. Part of Lena wished that Kara would take her hand like she had when they had first arrived at the park all those hours ago. But Lena made no move to hold her hand either; she had promised herself she would move at Kara's pace and she was going to stick to that.

They arrived outside of the blonde's apartment building much too quickly for Lena's liking and Kara slowed to a stop outside the front door. Lena followed her lead, standing behind her patiently until Kara turned to face her fully.

"Hey," Kara's voice was just above a whisper, but it easily captured her full attention.

There was something in that simple word that seemed to speak volumes. And then Kara granted her earlier wish and reached down, taking her hand. The Kryptonian radiated warmth and Lena could feel the heat traveling from their joined hands to the rest of her body as it had earlier.

Despite all her years of study and all her degrees, Lena could never seem to comprehend how someone so immensely powerful could also be so incredibly gentle.

"Thank you for today… I really needed it," Kara told her with a warm smile on her face, those sky blue eyes seemed to convey her gratitude. She was quickly becoming accustomed to the little flutter in her chest every time Kara looked at her like that and she rather enjoyed it.

"I'm glad…. You know, I'm here for you if you ever need me, Kara," Lena promised giving her hand a slight comforting squeeze. Lena didn't make promises lightly. She had learned the harsh reality that you couldn't count on anyone and the people she cared about would only use her in the end. Promises were for the weak and keeping them made you a fool.

And yet, Lena intended to keep this one. Maybe she was weak and a fool because of her feelings for Kara, but she was okay with that.

"I know you are, Lena. You're an amazing friend… I'll see you soon," Kara bid her farewell, releasing her hand and disappearing into the building. Lena remained standing there for just a moment, wondering if that word, 'friend,' would always sting like this.

* * *

 _The night had begun without a hitch and Lena was making her rounds. Making small talk with various members of the National City social elite was exhausting and definitely not the highlight of her job as CEO of L Corp. Especially tonight when so much was at stake._

" _Lena!" when the familiar voice caught her ears, Lena abruptly ended her conversation with some senator to give the speaker her full attention._

 _As she turned, Lena's breath caught in her throat. Kara Danvers was a vision. The short bluish grey cocktail dress accentuated her petite figure nicely and her perfect blonde hair was pulled into an elegant up do, one stray lock framing her face. A bright smile stretching her lips as she approached._

" _It's really great to see you. I'm so glad you could come," she greeted, but as much as she loved seeing Kara Danvers the question on her lips followed quickly,_

" _Uhm… have you seen Supergirl?"_

" _I'm sure she's on her way," Kara responded, looking around behind her when suddenly, a man seemingly came out of nowhere and bumped into her just slightly, not even hard enough to spill one drop of his champagne on her._

" _I'm sorry! Did I spill this on you? Does anyone have some Seltzer?" he said in all a rush, not allowing her the opportunity to speak up. It didn't matter though because in the very next instant, the tell-tale rush of air could be heard again._

 _Lena turned just in time to see the blonde alien drop from the sky and land lightly on the cobblestones. She was certain she would never get used to that._

" _Supergirl," she breathed, watching the woman in question stride towards her, "I'm glad you could make it."_

" _I still think this may be a bad idea," that commanding voice told her, but again, those blue eyes seemed to be looking anywhere but Lena at first. However, she walked straight towards Lena and stopped merely a few feet from her, finally looking her in the eyes._

" _Well, why don't we wait and see how the evening pans out," Lena suggested, knowing that the bandits would probably show up any minute. She still felt the nagging itch to come clean and tell Supergirl the real plan but she held back._

" _I'll check the perimeter for any activity and I'll be back at the first sign of danger," Supergirl assured her, already turning to leave. Lena believed the hero would do anything to protect these people; Lena was counting on it. Supergirl took a few purposeful steps and leapt into the air, disappearing into the night._

 _The gasps of her guests could be heard in the background but Lena hardly noticed as her eyes stared up where she had last seen Supergirl. Her abilities were just so impressive, everything about her was impressive actually._

 _Kara appeared at her side the next instant._

" _Kara! You just missed Supergirl," Lena informed her, thinking the reporter may be interested, seeing how she had been responsible for helping her contact the superhero._

" _Did I? Golly," Kara seemed out of breath, which garnered Lena's attention._

 _Unable to hide her confusion, she tore her eyes from the sky where Supergirl had just been to look at the reporter next to her who had seemingly appeared from nowhere. Perfect teeth shown through Kara's wide smile, and Lena noticed a little scar… just above her left eyebrow… It had to be different than Supergirl's…_

 _Lena excused herself shortly after to mingle with her guests, an unfortunate necessity of being the hostess. Even as she made small talk with these wealthy elite, Lena couldn't get her mind off that little scar. The one Kara and Supergirl shared. It could just be a coincidence, but her instincts were telling her otherwise._

 _Before Lena could think about it much further, a crashing sound could be heard at one end of the street. As anticipated, the bandits had come to prey on National City's wealthy and were carrying their alien weapons with them._

 _The leader approached the center of the throng of people, a cocky smirk on his face, and Lena made to stand in front of him, in case he targeted one of them._

" _You picked the wrong party to crash," She told him haughtily, trying to distract them long enough to give Supergirl the chance to get here._

" _I don't think so, princess," was his comeback, reaching for her the necklace at her throat and yanking it roughly off her. Against her will, she flinched a little at the sting of the metal cutting the skin her neck before it gave way. Turning, the bandit addressed the crowd of people,_

" _All right, I'm gonna keep this real simple, people. Hand over every ring, pearl, diamond, watch, wallet and no one gets disintegrated."_

 _But then there was Supergirl, hovering above them, and Lena knew this was her cue. Glancing around for Kara, Lena couldn't spot her. She immediately regretted not warning the reporter about the potential danger when she had been around before… unless Kara really was Supergirl._

 _She prayed the reporter was safe before she s_ _lipped away and heading for the stage, listening to what was happening behind her._

" _Did you really think I wouldn't be here?" she heard the alien challenge._

" _Actually, I was counting on it," the bandit countered, lifting his gun and pointing it at Supergirl. Lena knew she had to hurry but she couldn't tear her eyes away as Supergirl used her heat vision to repel the weapon's laser._

 _In horror, Lena watched as the other two men shot their weapons at Supergirl while she was defending against the first's attack. The alien crashed to the ground, concrete shattering as if it was glass. She never intended anyone to get hurt, least of all Supergirl. Relief flooded her as the alien stood back up quickly and jumped back into the air._

 _Everything in her body, told her to run and help the woman but she had to remember the task at hand. She certainly wasn't going to be able to fight them, so Lena had to do the only thing she could, stick to the plan._

 _She raced to the platform and unceremoniously crawled underneath to the device she had her staff plant there earlier with a flashlight. She remembered how Christopher had given her a wary look at her request, not asking questions but seeming to know that Lena was going to put herself in danger somehow. Of course, she had ignored his obvious concern and continued on with her preparations._

 _She practically tore the top of the generator off, pulling out the wires inside. She wished she'd had more time to tinker with this before the gala now that she was struggling with it a bit._

 _The scared yelps of a man brought her attention briefly to the side, where her eyes were greeted by the man who had almost spilled champagne on her earlier… that was odd… no time to think about that coincidence right now._

" _Do you mind?" she asked him impatiently as he crawled over to her, staring wide-eyed at the device._

" _Wait- is-is that a Black Body Field Generator?" he asked, incredulously._

" _It will be if I can get it working, okay," she told him shortly, she really didn't have time for this. But in the back of her mind, Lena was mildly impressed this stranger knew what a Black Body Field Generator was._

" _This whole party… you set a trap for these guys," he deduced as she rerouted a wire here and there. She wasn't really sure how he had inferred that either but again, not the time._

" _Yeah, a trap that will fail unless I can get this operational," she explained. Every second they wasted was another second that Supergirl and Kara may be in danger._

" _Okay, so if the black body is at equilibrium with the alien weapons then it will absorb the electromagnetic radiation and shut them down. This is genius!" the man said in a rush, obviously impressed by the concept._

" _I know, I know, but the frequency and the wavelength are a match so…," she was mostly talking to herself, working out the problem on her own when she figured it out,_

" _The induction coil," he had said it at the same time and reached into the device to make the necessary changes. Lena would normally have been appalled that someone was touching her tech but desperate times called for desperate measures._

 _Finally, they got it._

" _Punch it," the man told her and needing no further prompting, Lena turned it on. Instantly, she could almost feel the electromagnetic waves radiate out around them._

 _She and the man shimmied out from under the stage and Lena smoothed down her dress, satisfied the plan had worked. Her eyes skimmed the crowd for Kara, not finding the reporter. Worry ate at her, not knowing if Kara had gotten away or was hurt somewhere but all of the other partygoers seemed to be unharmed so she tried to tell herself that Kara was probably fine. But her eyes did land on Supergirl._

" _Oh, no… we weren't… under there… we stopped it!" the stranger was trying to explain and Lena couldn't help but make a face. She hardly believed that anyone would think the two of them were doing anything under there. But she noted the way he seemed to direct his explanation to Supergirl and James Olsen. Supergirl grinned broadly, laughing in relief at both of them and Lena felt her heart swell at the sight. Only one other person made her feel that way…_

* * *

Lena had George drive her to the office instead of her apartment. She still had so much work to do on her latest project and she always seemed to get more done after everyone was gone, less distractions. Not to mention, Lena doubted she would be able to get much sleep tonight anyway.

Walking past the 24/7 security guards of L Corp, Lena made her way up the elevators and to her office. She flipped open her laptop and settled in for a few uninterrupted hours of work. While she hated asking her assistants to work late, she did end up having Lana pick her up some dinner so she could get more work done.

She knew it was getting late; all of her staff, save for Lana and a handful of security guards had gone home for the night. George refused to leave, even though she assured him she could take a cab home, he would hear none of it.

So immersed in her work was she that Lena didn't notice the familiar swoosh of Supergirl landing on her balcony. It wasn't until the sharp sound of her knocking on the glass doors that Lena was startled out of her concentration.

Her heart stopped as her head snapped to the direction of the sudden noise. At the sight of the superhero, Lena released a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. Kara remained behind the glass of the door in her Supergirl suit, waving awkwardly. So much for no distractions. But this is one she was definitely okay with.

Lena was fairly certain she hadn't locked the door, not that it could have kept the Kryptonian out. Confusion must have shown on her face, because Kara opened the door just slightly to poke her head in, her blonde hair cascading over her shoulders. Blue eyes seemed to ask her permission as Kara spoke,

"I know this isn't really an entrance, Ms. Luthor, but… may I?"

Lena couldn't stop the smile that took over her face even if she had wanted to at Kara's use of her own words. When she had said them it had been more of a joke, so she was surprised that Kara, as Supergirl, was heeding them now of all times.

"Supergirl… of course, come in," Lena invited, gesturing for the superhero to enter. She could feel herself being more formal than when she was with her as Kara, afraid she would give away that she knew her secret.

"Thank you," the blonde flashed her a perfect smile, as she pushed the glass door all the way open and stepped inside.

"You're working late tonight," she observed and Lena couldn't help but notice that the hero seemed to be letting her Kara side seep through a little more than normal.

"I didn't take over this company to rely on my family's good name," she said sarcastically, closing the laptop to give Kara her undivided attention.

"What can I do for you?" Lena asked, tilting her head to the side as she watched the woman in front of her carefully. Kara tried to hide her muscular figure underneath blazers and cardigans but as Supergirl Lena always appreciated the form-fitting material clinging to her lithe frame as she folded her arms across the symbol on her chest.

If Lena wasn't mistaken, Kara seemed to falter a little, turning to face away from her. She was truly curious as to why the reporter was here as Supergirl even if she had hoped for it. She had just seen her as Kara mere hours ago. Of course, she was happy to see her but what was this all about? Kara's voice floated over to her from across the room,

"I know it's been a few days but I wanted to make sure you were okay… after what happened with Rhea..."

Kara remained facing away from her, only slightly glancing over her shoulder at Lena. Her words were shaky, the usual confidant swagger Kara had as Supergirl gone. Lena ached for those blue eyes to look at her, but she kept it together enough to respond.

"I am… because of you," there was so much Lena wanted to say to Supergirl that she couldn't say to her as Kara but words seemed to escape her whenever she laid eyes on this woman.

"I wanted to thank you… you saved me, saved all of us. At a great cost to- Kara… I know you two are… close," Lena was surprised by the emotion in her voice. It was making it difficult to speak but also to remember to pretend she didn't know Kara's secret. She could feel herself starting to slip up. She just needed Kara to hear her apology both as Kara and as Supergirl,

"I never should have put you in that position. I'm so sorry."

She really hadn't expected for the apology to Supergirl to be this hard. After all, she had just apologized to her as Kara but it felt different.

Kara seemed to sense her distress because the blonde turned fully, her blue eyes held some untold emotion.

"You're the one that saved us, Lena," Supergirl never called her Lena but Kara didn't seem to notice her slip up because she continued,

"Without that device, I never would have been able to stop the Daxamites. It was my choice to use it and send Mon-El away… Kara will be okay, but she needs you."

Tears pricked the back of her eyes hearing Kara say that, but she fought them. She hated crying, even if Kara had seen her cry before it wasn't something she was trying to make a habit out of. But hearing her say that Kara needed her made her unable to hide her reaction. The only people who needed her were those trying to use her. Not this amazing woman though.

Why was this affecting her so much? She had literally just had this conversation with her as Kara less than 12 hours ago. She wondered if Kara used her dual identity to say things she couldn't say to her as Kara or vice versa, the same way Lena did the same with her.

Not trusting her voice to respond, Lena simply nodded, looking away from those piercing blue eyes. After a pregnant pause, Kara's voice filled the void once again.

"Lena…, I-uh- I have something I need to tell you," Kara slipped up again, using her first name, and her voice sounded less and less Supergirl-like as their interaction went on.

Lifting her eyes to gaze up at the superhero, Lena watched as the woman approached her hesitantly. She was fiddling with her hands and reached up to glasses that weren't there and Lena held her breath.

Was Kara about to reveal herself?

Sapphire eyes met hers finally and Lena could practically see the inner turmoil there. All Lena wanted to do was to pull the woman into her arms and tell her it was okay; that she wasn't going to be angry with her for keeping this secret. She didn't have to hide anymore.

Without realizing she was doing it, Lena had stepped closer to the superhero as well.

But it wasn't meant to be.

Kara looked away suddenly, staring intently at the right wall, her face screwed up in concentration. Kara hesitated, looking back and forth between her and the wall.

A moment later Lena could finally hear it: sirens.

"I- uh- I have to…," Supergirl stuttered, the apology written all over her beautiful face as she stepped back.

"Of course," Lena replied, Kara having already taken long strides towards the balcony, pulling the door open, but not making another move to leave just yet. Kara threw her a glance over her shoulder, an unreadable expression there.

Lena watched as the woman took off into the night, her eyes stuck on the spot, long after she had disappeared.

* * *

 _After all was said and done, no one had gotten hurt at the party. Lena was relieved; she really hadn't intended for there to be any kind of battle between the bandits and Supergirl, or Kara. She still didn't know what to think._

 _There were just too many 'coincidences' pointing towards Kara and Supergirl being one and the same. She wasn't 100% sure but the scar, the awkward interactions, her association with Clark Kent, and her sister just happens to be an FBI agent? Not to mention the little incident with the alien detection device. It was all too much to ignore._

 _The idea that her only friend in National City could be Supergirl and Kara hadn't told her made it all the more confusing… and painful but she pushed that down. She didn't know for sure yet._

 _The next night Supergirl showed up at the balcony of L Corp, uninvited as usual but never unwelcome. Lena met her outside with a smile and led her into the office, using every available interaction from here forward to prove or disprove her theory._

" _You took a great risk, Ms. Luthor… why didn't you tell me what you were up to?" Supergirl asked, her voice firm but warm. Her hands were firmly planted on her narrow hips as she matched Lena's pace._

 _Lena had half expected the alien to be angry with her for not telling her the plan, but Supergirl seemed to hold no grudge against her for it._

" _I doubt you would have believed that a Luthor would just want to see justice done," Lena responded honestly. She knew what people thought of her, and Supergirl had no reason to trust her, so why would she?_

" _Well, I couldn't have stopped them without you… thank you," once they were inside, Supergirl turned around and Lena stopped a few feet in front of her. Those blue eyes were so soft and were looking at her with such genuine gratitude that Lena couldn't help the smile that formed._

 _It felt so good to help people and to be considered an ally by this powerful woman, even if she was Kara._

" _Who would've believed it… a Luthor and a Super working together…I hope we can work together more in the future," she didn't know why she was so nervous all of a sudden; she said the last part looking down._

 _It was true though, something about this alien that pulled her in, much like Kara…. She raised her eyes once more. That's when she saw the last person in the world she wanted to see again._

" _Oh, I didn't realize you had company," her mother strode in like she owned the place. As much as she didn't want Supergirl to leave, this was something she had to deal with and she didn't want the hero to have any interaction with the manipulative, compulsive liar in front of her now._

" _Would you excuse me, Supergirl. I have to take this," she told the blonde, not quite meeting those blue eyes._

" _Of course," Supergirl gave her a wide smile, and without question she obeyed Lena's request._

" _I'm sorry I missed your party," Lillian began before Supergirl had completely left. As soon as the familiar rush of air told her that the alien had taken off, Lena replied,_

" _What else is new…So, what can I do for you…Mom."_

* * *

The rough edge of the canvas paper scratched at the skin of Lena's fingertips as she held it up to look at for what felt like the millionth time since she got home. She lay in bed, the only light in the room came from a small bedside lamp, and she continued to stare down at the sketch Kara had given her, examining every minute detail.

The reporter really was talented; Lena wished she looked half as good as this piece of art made her seem. It made her wonder though… is this how Kara truly saw her?

It was this thought, among others, that was keeping her up tonight. Long after she and Kara had parted ways this afternoon and again as Supergirl at L Corp, Lena's mind stayed with the superhero.

For all her education and her apparent intelligence, Lena simply couldn't figure this woman out. But her experience with Kara had taught her one thing…the blonde could be just as guarded as her, especially when she was Supergirl. So, seeing her fumble and let that guard down a little surprised her. She had been so sure that Kara was about to tell her the truth about her identity before they were interrupted but of course, she couldn't be sure.

The news anchor on TV had just been background noise up until the word 'Supergirl' cut through her thoughts. Lena quickly turned up the volume, anxious to hear what was happening with the superhero.

"After nearly a week of being MIA, Supergirl returns to National City," the newscaster read from a prompter then they cut to a live feed. The footage, seemingly from a helicopter, showed Supergirl lifting an ambulance over her head and jumping into the air with it as if it were nothing. They continued to follow her the best they could to show her carefully setting the vehicle in front of the Children's Hospital.

Today really had been a success. Lena smiled to herself, turning the TV off and setting the sketch on her bedside table before flicking off the lamp and settling in to bed. All the while, a warm feeling filled her chest, thinking that maybe, just maybe she had been the reason Supergirl was back out there helping people again.

* * *

 **A/N: Sorry this chapter took a little bit longer than normal to get out. Work is kicking my butt so I haven't had many opportunities to write. So, it's definitely a little longer than the previous chapters but I hope you don't mind. This one is named after Dust to Dust by the Civil Wars. I'm really excited for the next couple of chapters because things are going to get real here soon.** **Hope you stick with me and, as always, please let me know what you think!**


	6. The One

_Disclaimer: I do not own or profit from Supergirl or its plots or characters._

 **Chapter 6:** **The One**

* * *

Kara returned to CatCo bright eyed and bushy tailed Monday morning, ready to get back to work at her day job. Ever since her day with Lena on Friday, she had been back at her other role as Supergirl, happy to be taking on easier hero work since the Daxamites left. But now it was time to get back to the job that actually paid the bills.

Lena, not so much in her words but in her actions, had been the one to convince her to get back out there and do what made her happy: helping people. It had been nice to take on some low-level crime and basic hero stuff after everything with Cadmus and the Daxamites. She knew the "Big Bads" would return soon enough and she'd be ready for them when they did.

Coffee in hand, Kara made her way to James' office for the daily morning meeting, a little pep in her step. Kara had every reason to be in a good mood because she had finally made a decision: she was going to tell Lena she was Supergirl.

Over the weekend, Kara had given it a lot of thought. Being so close to just blurting out her secret when she had visited Lena as Supergirl had really given her some perspective.

She was so tired of lying to this woman; someone who had spent her whole life being lied to and manipulated by the people who supposedly cared about her. Kara refused to continue that trend because Lena deserved so much better than that, especially from her.

No matter how afraid she was of Lena never wanting to speak to her again… no matter her selfish desire to keep Lena in her life, Kara knew that she had to do this. If she was ever going to figure out what these feelings were between them then it had to start with the truth. She just had no idea why it took her so long to figure this out.

With renewed purpose, Kara took her place in the crowded room of reporters. Snapper was already present in his usual unimpressed stance, arms folded across his chest in impatience. Kara had come to tolerate this curmudgeon of a man especially since James had put him in his place, and, as much as she was loathed to admit it, his constant criticism was making her a better reporter.

A moment later, James strode through the crowd of staff and into his office, coming to stand behind his desk. Since the Daxamites had left, Cat Grant had stayed only long enough to give Kara some advice and ensure Earth wasn't destroyed before she went back on her journey to self-discovery. So, James was in charge once again and with his night work as The Guardian, Kara could see the exhaustion starting to take its toll of her friend.

James addressed his staff, going through the latest events over night and anything that was pending; it looked like it was going to be a slow news day though. Kara had only been half paying attention as he doled out the day's assignments until he got to her.

"And Kara, you're on politics today. The Senate is debating the Alien Marriage Equality Act and I want you there to cover it and any protests that may occur," he told her giving her a weary look as he leaned over his desk, it did nothing to hide his imposing frame though.

She knew he was giving her a cake assignment but she didn't care. Everybody had been walking on egg shells around her since Mon-El had left and while it was starting to bother her, Kara kept it to herself. They were just trying to be nice, but it only made her feel worse that she didn't feel as upset as they expected her to feel.

She had come to terms with the fact that he was gone and the role she played in that. Of course, she would never forget him but she had to continue keeping National City safe, both as a reporter uncovering the truth, and as Supergirl, fighting crime and protecting its inhabitants, especially Lena.

The intensity of her feelings had scared her a little bit on Friday. She had been so close to kissing the CEO. Kara had thought about that a lot too over the weekend… She had come to the realization that she definitely cared for Lena more than a friend. As much as she had tried to convince herself otherwise, she couldn't ignore the way she felt in Lena's presence.

An incredible lightness had filled her when she had finally come to the decision to tell Lena about her being Supergirl. Now, all she needed to do was actually get up the courage to do it. But she needed to tell her friends and Alex her intentions. Her identity was a shared secret between all of them and it only felt right to keep them in the loop. And James was here now. The quicker she told him the quicker she could tell the others and then Lena.

Before she headed down to the Senate building, Kara wanted to catch James to tell him her decision. He had never been Lena's biggest fan but she hoped he would see her side now, especially after everything Lena had done to save them.

As the meeting ended and everyone slowly drifted off to their respective assignments, Kara stayed behind, hanging out in the back until Cat Grant's old office emptied and only she and James remained.

Her ex looked up to see her still there and he gave her a warm smile, standing up to his full height. It sometimes hit her how she had managed to misconstrue her feelings for him as anything but friendship. Maybe it had been the thrill of wanting something someone else had… or maybe he was the link between her and her cousin she had been looking for, so he was someone who understood her need to be Supergirl. Whatever it was, her little crush on him felt so far away and so insignificant when compared to the powerful emotions she felt for Lena.

"Hey, I'm glad to see your back. I know Ms. Grant must've been worried about you if she had you escorted off the premises before she left," he told her with amusement, a playful glint in his eye.

"Yeah," she agreed with a laugh, "I'm glad she did though… but I'm good now, ready to get back to work," she told him, returning his smile with a friendly one of her own.

"You sure you're up to it? I can send someone else…," James offered, his sentence trailing off as he watched her carefully.

Kara appreciated his concern but it really wasn't necessary.

"I'm sure…. Actually, I wanted to talk to you about something else," Kara changed the subject to the real reason she had hung back to meet with the journalist. He gave her his undivided attention, prompting her,

"Shoot."

Now that she was actually gearing up for this, the apprehension hit her hard. If she couldn't even tell James that she was going to reveal her secret to Lena, how could she even work up the nerve to actually tell Lena?

Taking a calming breath and steeling her nerves, Kara met his eyes directly and just told him as confidently as she could.

"I'm going to tell Lena Luthor that I'm Supergirl. I just thought you should know," she informed him, not leaving any room for debate.

She could see his immediate negative reaction: he crossed his arms over his chest and shook his head in disbelief, a humorless laugh escaping his lips as he stared down at her.

"Kara, are you insane? Do you have a death wish or something?" he retorted and Kara bristled at his condescending tone.

This felt just like the time he refused to believe Lena could be innocent. Even when she had proved him wrong, he still held steadfast that a Luthor couldn't be good. She still remember his previous words,

 _"What's it going take for you to realize Lena is a criminal, not the victim."_

It seemed like his views on the CEO hadn't changed a bit... Well, she definitely wasn't going to share her feelings for Lena with him now if he couldn't even handle this.

"No, actually I'm thinking that someone who has saved my life countless times deserves my trust. The question is when are you going to realize that she's on our side?" Kara could feel her anger rising and she tried to force herself to calm down. She was getting so tired of having to defend Lena to all of her supposed friends. Time and again, Lena had shown in her words and actions that she was on the side of good; what would it take for them to finally see that she was a Luthor in name only?

"When are you going to realize she is a Luthor and a natural born liar?" he was getting just as fired up as she. In her heart Kara knew he was just trying to protect her but she'd had enough. Seemingly seeing that his point had still not gotten across, James continued,

"God, Kara… What would your cousin think? After everything Lex has put him through, after everything Lillian has put _you_ through? The Luthors are all the same… Don't do this, you're only going to get hurt, just like Clark."

Having heard a similar diatribe from him before, Kara didn't know why she expected anything different from James now. Bringing her cousin and Lex into it seemed unfair. Just like she wasn't Clark, Lena wasn't Lex. Why couldn't anyone see that?

"Well, thanks for your support, James," she replied sarcastically, the angry fire still burning in her chest as she turned and walked out of the office. There was nothing else to say; nothing she said or did was going to change his mind about Lena, so what was the point? Telling James first had been a mistake, she saw that now.

She could hear him say her name and make to follow her, but Kara ignored him and rushed out of there. She had a job to do and she wasn't going to waste another second trying to explain herself to him.

Lying to Lena always seem to cause Kara great agony and she wasn't going to do it anymore.

* * *

 _After being kidnapped by Lillian Luthor and having her blood taken, Kara's mind had struggled to come to terms with the fact that Lena's mother was the leader of Cadmus. As much as she trusted Lena, there were just too many unanswered questions; Kara needed to know how much the CEO knew about her own mother's dealings with the alien hating terrorists. She absolutely refused to believe that Lena had anything to do with it, but a nagging feeling told her that Lena was hiding something, but what?_

 _It didn't sit right with her that Winn and everyone else wanted to hack Lena and L Corp. That just seemed like a violation of her privacy and a betrayal. She wanted Lena to be able to tell her things and Kara liked to think she had gained her trust somewhat._

 _Which is why she had scheduled this interview with the attractive CEO, getting to see her was just an added bonus, but Kara was strictly here to get information. At least, that's what she told herself._

 _Lena had graciously cleared a spot in her schedule for her when she called and Kara had shown up to her office right away, as promised._

 _When she arrived at the top floor, Jess showed her in and her eyes were instantly drawn to the beautiful brunette sitting at her stark white desk. Her breath hitched just slightly whenever she laid eyes on Lena, but she covered it with a bright smile._

 _She couldn't help but appreciate the way her raven hair almost seemed to reflect the light spilling in through the large windows of her office. It cascaded down her shoulders and perfectly framed her face. Lena finally glanced up at her, noticing she was no longer alone and awarded Kara with a warm smile of her own that made Kara's cheeks warm slightly._

 _"It's always good to see you, Kara," Lena greeted, gesturing to one of the chairs across from her. Kara gratefully accepted, adjusting her skirt under her as she sat, replying,_

 _"You as well… Thanks again for seeing me on such short notice."_

 _"Of course," Lena stood from her chair and crossed the room to pour herself some water, facing away from her for a moment. Kara's eyes followed her, unable to look away from the gorgeous woman._

 _"Would you like some water?" Lena offered, snapping her eyes up to see that Lena was looking back over her shoulder at her. Kara declined as politely as possible. No amount of water was going to clear her dry throat._

 _"Oh, no thank you. I'm fine." Her eyes_ _seemed to land on the delicate curve and the fair skin of Lena's calves, accentuated by the black heels she wore. Blushing again, Kara quickly looked away, adjusting her glasses nervously but her eyes were always drawn back to this woman like a magnet._

" _So, what is this interview for exactly," Lena asked as she finished pouring herself the water and made her way back to her desk chair._

 _"Ah, it's a puff piece: Women of Power and the Mothers Who Molded Them," Kara replied, reciting the headline she had come up with in order to start the conversation about her mother. A slight twinge of guilt hit her, knowing that she was essentially trying to trick the woman into revealing any information she might know about her mother and her involvement in Cadmus._

 _"Well, I mean, of course I'm happy to help, Kara, I'm just not sure how interesting my mother and I really are," Lena seemed to deflect, not quite meeting Kara's eyes at first. She picked up a pen from her desk, hovering it uselessly over a folder in front of her, finally directing those green eyes at her. Kara did her best not to be distracted or swayed and was quick to jump back._

 _"Oh, I'm sure your mother is_ fascinating," _she insisted, and even she could hear the falseness in her own voice. Lena still wouldn't quite meet her eyes again, a smile that held something Kara couldn't quite discern curling her lips. Was that sadness? Pain? Whatever it was, it definitely wasn't a happy smile._

 _Kara was concerned that not only was she screwing this interview up, but she may be hurting her friendship with Lena as well. This was obviously a sore subject for the woman but Kara just wanted to hear her say hat she had no idea about her mother's involvement in Cadmus._

 _"Listen, Kara, you can write whatever sounds good, but the truth is, as a daughter I always seemed to fall short…,"_ _Lena responded after a slight pause, those emerald eyes had a faraway look to them as if full of unspoken memories,_ _"We could never agree on anything."_

 _Kara watched her expression carefully and she could see the strained smile plastered there. A complex mixture of emotions hit her at Lena's statement. Her heart ached to know that the woman who raised Lena would think she was anything but perfect. But also a_ _small glimmer of hope flickered in her chest hearing that she and her mother didn't agree on things. Kara could only hope those things were their views on aliens. There was definitely some bad blood between her and Lillian and she felt like she needed to know more._

 _"What sort of things didn't you agree on?" Kara asked and at that Lena's eyes rose to hers slowly, her lips parted, taking a slight inhale. For a moment Kara thought she had pushed her too much, those emerald depth seemed to see right through her but she pressed on._

 _"Was it with the business? Or…?"_

 _"Oh, God, no. My mother couldn't care less about L Corp," Lena seemed to think that was genuinely funny, her hand waving off that idea, but Kara wasn't swayed._

 _"What about back when it was Luthor Corp?" she knew she was maybe pressing her luck here but now that she had started, Kara couldn't seem to stop. Even as Lena arched a perfectly shaped eyebrow at her, Kara continued with slightly less confidence,_

" _How did she feel when you changed the company's direction?"_

 _"You mean, when I changed it from its murdering, world domination direction?" Lena countered, her voice dripping with sarcasm. Kara felt slightly uncomfortable with an awkward smile and a nervous laugh escaping her lips at Lena's retort. She had difficulty meeting Lena's eyes after that, looking down, at the wall, anywhere but at those all-knowing green depths as she fumbled trying to respond._

 _Kara knew she had lost: Lena suspected she was fishing for something but Kara refused to admit defeat, instead opting for one last effort. Taking a calming breath and gathering herself, Kara formulated her thoughts before speaking._

 _"I_ _t's just you- you said to me once you wanted L Corp to be a force for good… she has to be proud of_ that?" _Kara tried, but the fixed smile she got in return from the brunette told her that Lena's walls had gone right back up. Kara's heart constricted painfully in response; she may have just lost any trust she had previously earned from this woman._

 _"Yea, I would hope so," the falsely saccharine reply came and it seemed to cut into Kara's chest worse than any Kryptonite could. Then the final blow came when Lena scrambled for an excuse to get her out of there._

 _"Look, Kara, you know, I'm a complete idiot. I forgot I had a meeting. I trust you will do us justice," Lena was faking nice now and she knew she had screwed up, but she tried to pretend as if nothing was wrong despite the way her throat was closing up._

 _Flipping her unused notebook closed and slipping it in her purse, Kara took the hint and prepared to leave but it took great effort._

 _"Yes… it's good to see you," she replied with a smile that was a little too wide, a little too forced before exiting the office quickly, hoping she could hide the hurt until she got out of there._

* * *

The choice to take public transit to the Senate building was a good one, Kara learned, because it gave her a chance to cool down after that heated exchange. Maybe James hadn't been the right person to tell first about her intentions to reveal herself to Lena. She had a feeling Winn and Alex may be more understanding; they'd at least hear out her reasoning even if they didn't agree.

Feeling much calmer as the metro train screeched to a stop at her station, Kara stepped off the train car and headed up and out to the street. The Senate building was right across the street and she made her way inside, flashing her press badge to the security officers on her way in. She still had to go through all of the security precautions but it was much quicker than going through the regular visitor line.

The hearing was just about to begin and she was able to locate a seat a little off to the side near the back. It was situations like these that she was grateful for her super hearing because even back here with all of the cross-talk Kara would be able to catch every word.

The sharp wrap of a gavel signaled the beginning of the proceedings, and Kara settled in for the long morning ahead. First, there were procedures such as roll call that she had to suffer through but eventually they got to the testimony.

Most of the people against the proposed bill were religious fundamentalists but a few were, "concerned citizens." One particular witness stuck out, a woman and self-proclaimed mother of two went on a half an hour tirade about how Alien Marriage Equality would negatively affect her children.

"It's basically bestiality," she spat in disgust, "How am I supposed to explain that to my children, when they see a human and a monster hold hands or-or _kiss_ in public?"

Kara was determined to be the unbiased reporter Snapper told her she had to be, so she bit back the anger that threatened to overtake her. But as much as she wanted to focus on the testimony her mind drifted to Lena's mother, someone who held similar views and probably had spouted these same prejudice rhetoric to Lex and Lena. So, how had the two grown up to be so different?

" _I don't like the idea of you around my daughter,"_ Lillian's hateful words echoed in her ears even as she stared at this other woman. Kara remembered vividly the painful realization that Lillian, the leader of Cadmus and the woman who had held her captive, was Lena's mother.

" _Does Lena know about Cadmus? Does she know who her mother really is?"_ Kara had said with just as much vitriol through the bars of her cage. Tears had pricked the back of her eyes in pure rage; she knew in her heart that Lena had no idea that her mother was the leader of Cadmus. It just wasn't possible. Not the Lena she had come to know and care for, and yet… why had Lillian been at L Corp that day?

Lillian had ignored her and demanded,

" _And what are you to my daughter?"_

" _I'm a friend,"_ Kara had shot back fiercely and without hesitation.

" _I've heard that before… years ago Superman came to my son Lex, promised him the world… a new dawn for mankind. Lex believed him, poor thing."_ Lillian had continued on her tirade but Kara couldn't focus on the woman's words, the pure rage making blood rush to her ears, drowning out her monologue.

The bang of the gavel brought Kara back to the present once more. She hadn't realized they were done for the morning session so distracted was she by the memories of Lillian's torture of her and Mon-El after that. How could someone who was so cruel have raised someone so perfect like Lena?

Everyone was filing out of the room and Kara soon followed suit. It was around lunch time now and she knew what she needed to do.

* * *

 _When Kara had the intent of going to L Corp and getting Isotope-454, she hadn't anticipated that someone else would be trying to do the same thing. In flight she could hear the alarm bells sounding at her destination and she used her X-ray vision to see into the building. Her eyes landed on Henshaw and she pushed herself to fly faster._

 _Kara flew quickly into L Corp, catching the security guard before he crashed into anything or fell to the ground below. Once she had set him carefully on the ground, she didn't even need to say anything before he ran to safety as the alarms blared in the background. Flipping her hair out of the way slightly, Kara stared the intruder down, sizing him up._

 _"I should've known you would show up," the real Hank Henshaw growled at her. She didn't hesitate after that; Kara ran forward, grappling with him to gain control but he was enhanced, his strength almost matched her own._

 _Her super hearing could just pick up the sound of heels clicking on the marble floors through L Corps alarms. Instantly Kara's heart sank at the realization of who was now in harm's way._

 _"Lena," she thought and it felt as if ice had been poured into her veins._

 _This newfound knowledge distracted her for just a millisecond, but it was long enough for Henshaw to find his opening. He gained control and threw her against the concrete L Corp logo, toppling it over and knocking the wind out of her. Pain shot through her body at the impact, causing her vision to black out for just a second._

 _It took her only a moment to recover, but when she lifted her upper body from the ground her eyes found Lena almost instantly. Those green eyes stared back at her, wide with fear. Her lips were parted as if she wanted to say something and she leaned towards her slightly, seeming as though she wanted to intervene somehow. It may have been the only time she wasn't happy to see the brunette._

 _As Kara struggled to lift herself up, Henshaw followed the direction of her gaze and spotted Lena. Taking advantage of her weakened state, he picked up the giant concrete 'L.' Kara watched as if it were happening in slow motion as the man lifted the concrete above his head and hurled it at the CEO._

 _Fear like she had never known gripped her heart as a shot of pure adrenaline coursed through her veins. Her mind had no time to think, she responded on pure instinct._

 _Ignoring her pain, moving faster than even she thought possible, Kara rushed towards Lena. She knew she'd never have time to move Lena out of the way without hurting her, so she did the only thing she could._

 _Kara was just able to position her body in front of Lena's, shielding her and taking the full impact of the blow. The concrete turned to powder as it crushed against her Kryptonian skin, knocking her slightly off balance, but she refused to let even one speck of the concrete's dust touch the woman behind her._

 _T_ _his coward had targeted Lena. That was unacceptable_

 _Knowing Henshaw would use any window of opportunity he could, Kara gave Lena the quickest glance over she could to ensure she was unharmed._

 _"Get out of here!" she ordered the brunette, more gruffly than she would have in any other situation, but she needed Lena to get to safety_ _._

 _R_ _age filled her and every muscle in her body tensed, poised to protect Lena at any cost._ _Without waiting for a response, Kara launched herself at Henshaw in an attempt to give Lena the time she needed to escape and it worked, even if he got away._

* * *

Kara decided to fly to the DEO, making her way into the utilitarian building and up into the main room. This is typically where she, J'onn, Winn, and Alex would strategize and whatnot, so she was confident she would find them here.

What she was surprised to find was all of them plus James, who had apparently had the same idea as her to come on his lunch break from CatCo.

She couldn't say she was pleased to see him, and judging by his crossed arms and stern glare he wasn't thrilled to see her either. She ignored his patronizing look and strode past him to the table in the center of the room where J'onn leant.

Seeing her, the Martian Manhunter straightened up slowly, regarding her with a slight frown. This didn't strike her as odd but the others also seemed to be regarding her differently than usual as well.

"Hey, what's going on? Is something wrong?" she asked, planting her hands on her hips and looking around at them. Winn looked away quickly, James just ignored her question, J'onn planted his hands back on the table and continued to give her a measured stare, and Alex seemed to be the only one to meet her eyes and they were full of concern.

Silence filled the large space so Kara folded her arms across her chest and stared at each of them in turn until someone answered her.

"Should you really be back here so soon, Kara?" it was J'onn who broke the silence and she realized they felt bad for her; those were looks of pity. Her friends didn't seem to think she had gotten over Mon-El's departure apparently.

"I'm fine. Really… I need to get back to work. National City needs Supergirl," she told him confidently, leaving no room for debate... or so she thought.

"You don't have to be fine, Kara. You know you can take as much time as you need. National City can wait a little longer," Alex told her and all Kara could do was shake her head in disagreement. If anything, getting back to work would make her feel better about everything but she just had to make them see that.

"You're not thinking clearly right now. Let the Guardian handle it for a while," James told her, uncrossing his long arms and taking a step towards her. His dark eyes were full of sincere concern but it was the insinuation in his words that struck her. Instinctively Kara took a step away from him, a fire lighting in her chest.

"I'm not thinking clearly?" Kara repeated in disbelief. She stared him down before she glanced around at the others, none of them coming to her defense.

She understood now.

"You told them…," it wasn't a question. Kara knew that's why he was here, to have some kind of intervention so they would convince her not to tell Lena about her identity.

"Wow... thanks for the vote of confidence, James," sarcasm dripped from her words and she turned on her heel, making for the balcony to escape this situation.

"Kara! Wait!" it was Alex who raced after her and she paused on the balcony, tempted to just fly off without another word.

"Kara, he's just worried about you… we all are," Alex said, hooking her arm around shoulders and pulling her in for a side hug.

"I told you I'm fine," Kara snapped back, stepping away from her sister, but she immediately regretted it. Her sister didn't deserve that.

Releasing a long breath, letting the last tendrils of anger seep out of her, Kara apologized,

"I'm sorry, Alex." Her shoulders slumped in defeat continuing further onto the balcony, facing away from her sister. She couldn't get away that easy; Alex stepped right up beside her and threw her right arm back around her shoulders.

"You just lost someone you love, Kara….No one is going to think any less of you if you take more time," Alex squeezed her a little tighter, her voice soft.

"It's more than that, Alex," Kara stepped away from Alex again, this time so she could face her. Her older sister's eyes held only confusion and curiosity, allowing her space to explain.

"I mean, of course I'm upset that I had to send Mon-El away… and I did love him… but…," Kara was having difficulty trying to formulate her feelings into words. She hadn't really verbalized this to anyone but she knew her sister would understand if she could just get it out.

Turning away, Kara leant her elbows on the concrete barrier, looking out on National City. Alex mirrored her position, hands clasped over the empty space and Kara could feel her sister's dark eyes watching her, studying her for any clues.

"I just… if anything I just feel so guilty," Kara began, this was going to be a lot harder than she initially thought. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Alex shift to lean her hip against the wall to more fully look at her.

"You had to do it, Kara. Mon-El understood that," Alex tried to reassure her, but her sister's misunderstanding only made it more difficult.

"It's not that…," she corrected, if anyone would understand it would be Alex, right? Was this all a mistake?

"Then what is it? Help me understand," Alex pleaded with her. Kara had to look up at the sky to ask Rao for courage before she responded.

"The truth is I feel guilty because I was relieved... I was relieved that he had to go because…," she knew if she hesitated too much she'd lose her nerve.

"I have feelings for Lena Luthor," she finished, releasing a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. Not daring to look her sister in the eyes, Kara brought her eyes downward, staring resolutely down at her hands.

"Kara…," Alex sighed and finally she mustered the courage to cast her eyes over at her sister, but those dark eyes were warm and full of empathy. A moment later Alex pulled her into a long hug which Kara gladly slumped into.

"How long?" Alex asked, pulling away slightly so Kara could see her eyes.

"I don't know, honestly. I just- when I look at her I just feel something… something I haven't felt with anyone else. Not James. Not Winn. Not even Mon-El," Kara's words were coming out in a rush now, the dam having been broken, "And when she was taken on Rhea's ship I just- I realized that I- that I was more concerned about saving her than Mon-El...that I needed _her_ to be okay."

It hadn't been eloquent by any stretch but the look Alex was giving her seemed to reflect everything she already knew.

"I have to tell her, Alex. I have to tell Lena that I'm Supergirl," Kara insisted, searching her sister's eyes for any argument, but she was surprised to find none. Her sister had been a vocal critic of Lena not that long ago, after all.

She remembered how hard she had tried to convince all of them that Lena could be trusted before,

 _"No, I looked into Lena's eyes. She doesn't know anything about Cadmus and her mother. I know it,"_ she had insisted, despite Winn essentially calling Lena a sociopath and the disapproving look she was getting from Eliza.

"You know, I made the decision to come out to you because I was so sure of my feelings for Maggie." Alex began, lowering her eyes momentarily but continuing to hold Kara at arm's length by her shoulders, "I wasn't certain of anything except that I needed her. Who knows how long I would have gone on in denial if it hadn't been for her. Sometimes it just takes the right person to come along to make us see things a little more clearly and force us out of our comfort zones in the best way possible,"

"So, Kara, if you trust Lena…well, then we'll just have to learn to trust her too," Alex said matter-of-factly with a slight shrug of her shoulder. Her heart soared at Alex's heartfelt response to her revelation, a weight being lifted.

"Really?" Kara asked in disbelief. The burning in the back of her eyelids signaled the beginnings of tears but Kara just let them slide down her face.

"Really," she confirmed, giving her a reassuring smile, "and no matter what happens, I'm here for you."

Kara returned she smile with a watery one of her own and pulled her older sister into a tight hug, careful not to hurt her though.

As she pulled away, she let her hands slide down to her sister's hands, holding them both in her own. She thought she felt the cold, hard pressure of something metal so Kara looked down at their joined hands, only to have her eyes shoot back up at her sister. There on her left ring finger was a metal band…

'What's this?" Kara asked incredulously, bringing the hand up to her face as she blinked the previous tears away, not trusting her vision, super or not.

"Oh, yea, so about that…."

* * *

 **A/N: Wow, you guys! Thank you so much for the awesome reviews! This chapter is named after "The One" by Kodaline, btw. And I have to say that Kara's point of view is 100% harder to write than Lena's so I hope this chapter is okay. Let me know what you think! The next chapter is easily my favorite so far so I hope you stay tuned for some fluffy goodness coming up. Reviews make me write faster... just saying. ;)**


	7. I'm Not Your Hero

_Disclaimer: I do not own or profit from Supergirl or its plots or characters._

 **Chapter 7:** **I'm Not Your Hero**

* * *

Sinking into her desk chair, Lena finally allowed herself a chance to relax after the hectic day she'd had. After a day of meetings combined with a working lunch, Lena was exhausted, mentally and physically. Being able to sit down and troubleshoot her latest project was her idea of a break.

In the privacy of her office she was tempted to kick off her heels and put her feet up, but you never knew who would show up for some last-minute meeting. So, instead Lena scooted the chair closer to the desk, pulled her laptop open, and prepared to continue her work.

It was something she felt could change the medical world: a diagnostic tool that could instantly generate a biophysical profile of any patient, alien or otherwise, and thus expedite treatment. It was something she was inspired to create when Kara had made her realize that her alien detection device had been so problematic in the wrong hands. While she had destroyed that device, Lena had kept the software associated with differentiating human skin from alien's, adapting and expanding it to it's full potential. She had begun with Kryptonians because of Kara and well, because L Corp, formerly Luthor Corp had a wealth of data from Lex's vendetta against Superman. It was technology that could still be dangerous in the wrong hands but life saving in hospitals across the country.

Ever since she was a child, Lena had tried so hard to impress the Luthors, throwing herself into her studies and doing her best to be a perfect daughter. No matter how hard she worked, how hard she tried to earn her mother's attention and praise, she could never quite measure up. But she was no longer motivated by her futile desire to please her mother. Now she was determined to do things in this world that helped people… all people.

Her thoughts were interrupted when Lana poked her head into her office. She wore an uncomfortable look on her face, obviously not wanting to disturb Lena but feeling obligated to tell her something.

"Ms. Luthor… Lillian Luthor is here to see you, but she doesn't have an appointment. Should I tell her to come back another time?" Lana nervously asked in a rush.

' _Speak of the devil_ ,' Lena thought sarcastically.

Lena smiled at Lana, her anxious desire to please reminded Lena a lot of herself. When she found out her staff were reporting to her mother she had to fire a good portion of them. After that, Lena had been twice as careful to hire staff who were loyal to her.

While Lana had proved to be quite an asset, Lena had a hard time really trusting anyone completely; people, even the ones who started out dependable, were so easily manipulated. Kara seemed to be the only exception to that rule, proving time and again that she was on Lena's side.

She could easily tell her mother to leave or even call the police, Lena was pretty sure there were still various and sundry warrants for her arrest in association with Cadmus and all of the people who were hurt when Corben had freed her at her trial. Not to mention the attempted genocide that she had been on trial for in the first place.

After considering her options for a moment, Lena eventually replied to Lana in an even tone,

"You can let her in. Thank you, Lana."

The young woman nodded and swung the door open wider, holding it for the older woman to step through a second later.

"I see you've retained some new staff," Lillian commented haughtily without a greeting to her daughter while she continued to glance in the direction of where Lana had just been before turning her cold blue eyes to Lena.

She stared right back at her mother, not bothering to greet her either; pleasantries would get her nowhere with this woman.

"Staff that are loyal to me and not Cadmus," she countered.

Lillian gave her a sly smile at that, not bothering to deny the allegation. They both knew it was true.

Lena felt like she and her mother were playing a continuous game of chess with every interaction. It was always about who would out maneuver- outsmart- the other person, there was no room for anything else in their relationship.

"What do you want?" Lena didn't have the energy for these games today and her tolerance for her mother had been all used up with everything that had happened with Rhea and the Daxamites. Every time Lena gave her a chance, Lillian would show her true colors in the end and it usually meant Lena had been used and manipulated to forward Lillian's disgusting agenda.

"Can't a mother visit her daughter at work?" Lillian asked innocently. She stepped further into the office, treating it as if it were her own as she set her purse down in one of Lena's chairs.

"You're lucky that I didn't call the police," Lena warned. Not giving her mother the satisfaction of their usual banter, Lena ordered,

"Now, talk or leave."

"Well, I suppose I am right in assuming that your being abducted by a race of hostile aliens hasn't altered your opinion on joining the cause then," Lillian's face had the same condescending smirk that Lena had become so accustomed to after a lifetime with her mother.

Lena could have laughed at her mother's words. After all that had transpired between them, did she really think that Lena would ever join Cadmus?

"And I'm assuming you conveniently forgot that it was an alien who came to my rescue and saved Earth," Lena reminded her, folding her arms on her desk and regarding her mother carefully. If Lena wasn't mistaken she thought she saw her mother's veneer slip just a little, the smirk a little too fixed.

"Supergirl only came to save that Daxamite boy… you were just collateral," Lillian told her, her soulless eyes narrowing at Lena.

As much as she wanted to deny it, her mother's words had struck a nerve in her, but she refused to show it. Her mother always seemed to know her deepest fears and say just the right thing to twist the knife. After years of her mother's emotional abuse, Lena had learned to keep her expression completely stoic, never revealing the pain underneath.

Of course, Lena knew that Lillian's words weren't true but she couldn't help the little internal voice saying that they could be. Kara had been with Mon-El after all, had loved him… how could she ever have feelings for a Luthor? Especially a Luthor who had essentially been the reason her boyfriend had to leave at all.

Lillian must have sensed that her jab had landed because she continued,

"She never would have been able to get onto that ship without me. Whether you want to accept it or not, I am the one who came for you. All I have ever wanted to do was protect you. I think you place too much faith in that alien and you're going to end up just like Lex… I just don't want to see another one of my children harmed at the hands of an alien."

There was a time, not that long ago, when Lena would have believed her mother, or at least given her the benefit of the doubt, always to her own detriment. But while history had never been her best subject, it seemed to repeat itself whenever her mother was concerned. So, why did she keep defending her?

* * *

 _As per usual, Lena stayed late into the night at L Corp, but tonight was anything but usual. After Supergirl had saved her from that… whatever he was…. Lena felt the need to ensure that all of her employees were safe and accounted for, relieved to find that they were all unharmed. She also needed to assess the damages and get L Corp's lobby fixed so business could carry on as usual by the end of the week, she hoped._

 _Lena had played the attack over and over again in her mind, wishing she had the opportunity to thank her._

 _She remembered hearing the alarms and hurrying down to the lobby only to witness Kara get thrown against the concrete L Corp logo. Her heart had stopped, the breath escaping her lungs as she watched the woman struggle to get up. She wanted to call out her name, run to her, make sure she was okay, anything. But before she had a chance to think, much less move, that monster had tried to kill her by throwing that same concrete at her. Kara had saved her again._

 _Tired of sitting and still a little restless from the night's earlier events, Lena stood and made her way around to perch on the edge of her desk. She had just started going over a preliminary list of the damages on her tablet when the familiar rush of air told her she was no longer alone._

 _Turning her head, Lena watched as Supergirl strode quickly into her office without a word. She questioned how she had not realized the beautiful blonde was Kara sooner. The other woman seemed to try so hard to have an entirely different persona when she wore the red and blue suit but there was no hiding those clear blue eyes despite the stern expression she now wore._

 _Setting down the tablet on her desk, Lena immediately gave the superhero her full attention._

 _"You know that door's not really an entrance," Lena teased lightly, a broad smile on her face. That had come out a little flirty, she realized as she placed a hand on her hip. Maybe that was too much._

 _She was actually rather thrilled to see Kara, especially since she had saved her life and Lena could see for herself that she was all right after that battle._

 _"You know, I actually wanted to thank you for earlier on… Not only did you save countless of my employees' lives but mine as well," she cursed her nervousness all of a sudden. She only got this way around Kara, as Supergirl or not, and she seemed to stumble over her words in her gratitude._

 _Her hands also seemed to have a life of their own, going from her hip, to the desk, to out in front of her. Why couldn't she be the confident CEO she was when she was around literally everyone else?_

 _The firm expression on the other woman's face only increased her anxiety. Those blue eyes seemed so guarded right now, seeming to completely disregard her gratitude._

 _"Now I need your help," Supergirl waited until she was finished but just barely, her arms crossed over the large 'S' emblazoned on her chest._

 _"Anything," Lena promised immediately and she meant it. Kara had saved her life several times now and Lena was happy to be able to do whatever she could for her._

 _"I need help finding your mother," Kara said in the authoritative voice of Supergirl. Everything about the woman's demeanor was guarded and standoffish, something Lena didn't expect from Supergirl or Kara. It took her by surprise a bit, but not as much as the request itself._

 _"My mother," she repeated, unsure where the superhero was going with this, her defenses going up slightly. Kara had come to try and get information about her mother yesterday and now she was using her alter ego to press her again. What was this all about?_

 _Those piercing blue eyes lowered for just a moment in obvious discomfort, the curtain of her wavy blonde hair falling into her face just slightly, before looking back up at her._

 _"Your mother is behind Cadmus…," the edge to her voice had gone, replaced with a softness.._

 _Lena just stared, the words echoing in her head, all traces of the previous smile gone from her face._

 _Did she hear her correctly? Her mother… associated with those extremists… who were responsible for unspeakable atrocities against aliens._

" _She's their leader," Kara continued, seeming to enjoy breaking this news as Lena was to hear it.._

 _For all her intelligence, Lena still couldn't process what Kara was telling her. The superhero seemed unable to hold her gaze any longer because she strode past her, deeper into Lena's office, facing away from her now._

 _It wasn't possible. Her mother was a lot of things: cruel, cold, emotionally abusive. But there was no way the woman who raised her was capable of such awful things… there had to be something else going on here._

 _"You're lying," she accused, her arms crossed defensively. Even as she said those words, deep down she knew Kara was telling the truth._

 _"I'm not…," Supergirl responded, turning to look Lena directly in the eyes, "She kidnapped me and now she possesses a virus that could wipe out the entire alien population of National City."_

 _Kara was pleading with her, taking a step towards her, those clear blue eyes so earnest._

 _Had her mother really kidnapped Kara? What had she done to her? Even just the thought of it caused her blood to boil and her heart to ache simultaneously, but she kept all of those emotions off her face._

 _What motivation would this woman- her only friend- have to lie?_

 _Unless… this had all been a deception…a long con to gain her trust so she and her cousin could get rid of the Luthor's, the only people to check their omnipotent power, once and for all._

 _"I need you to help me find her, so that she doesn't hurt anymore innocent people."_

 _The more Supergirl went on the more Lena could feel her walls going back up, taller than ever before. How could she believe the woman in front of her? If she was lying to Lena about who she was, what's to say she wasn't lying about her mother?_

 _It felt like ice in her veins, this feeling of betrayal, stabbing her all over and freezing her heart. She refused to let it show on her face, the agony she was in as she realized that Kara was no different than everyone else. As much as she talked about giving people a chance and judging them on "their own merits," Kara was just like everyone else and seemed to believe that a Luthor couldn't be anything but a monster._

 _Clenching her jaw, Lena leaned back against her desk, trying to hide the immense pain in her chest. She swallowed hard against the emotion in her throat, attempting to collect herself to respond to the accusation against her mother._

 _"You know, I thought you were different," she managed after a moment, her eyes burning with unshed tears that she forced back. Why did this hurt so much? You'd think that she'd be used to this by now; people letting her down, but it felt like sheer agony coming from the only person she thought had ever truly cared for her._

 _"You wear that symbol on your chest and everyone thinks you're good," she continued with a humorless smile, inhaling sharply so the tears wouldn't fall, not while Kara was here. She needed to get her anger out and soon the words came tumbling out her, showing more honest emotion than she intended._

 _"How many times has your cousin put on that high and mighty costume and come after Lex?" she knew that was unfair but the hurt and the anger were talking now. If everyone could compare her to Lex then why couldn't she compare Supergirl to Superman?_

 _The smile had completely faded from her face as she gave Kara a fixed glare before releasing her next onslaught against the blonde._

 _"My mother's no saint, but you come in here and accuse her of being the devil incarnate," Lena couldn't stop the words coming out her mouth at this point even if she had wanted to. It was as if all of rage she had pent up over a lifetime of betrayals were coming out, all directed at Kara. Maybe it was because, despite how she felt in this moment, Lena knew that Kara was safe._

 _"How long before you come after me?" was her final allegation and now that Lena had stopped speaking, she could take in the hero's appearance. Hurt shined in those blue eyes, a shade darker than they had been when she arrived. She had waited patiently until Lena had finished, allowing the verbal assault, offering no defense._

 _Instead of feeling justified and validated, all Lena felt was hollow. Those were words she wanted to say to every single person who sneered at her last name, who hated her for who she was._

 _"I know what's it like to be disillusioned by our parents," Kara replied with empathy, an emotion that was completely foreign to Lena._

 _Kara's compassionate response took her completely off guard. Why wasn't she angry? She should have some calculated come back, crafted to hurt Lena back. But that's not what she got, far from it._

" _But I'm a pretty good judge of character… and you are not like your mother," Kara's eyes still looked wounded, but they also held sincerity._

 _"She is cold and dangerous… and you are too good and too smart to follow in her path," Kara's voice was firm but gentle and Lena's breath caught in her throat at the woman's words. The hero had taken a few steps forward during her fervent speech._

 _Plenty of people had told her she was smart but not one person had ever told her that she was good. Her brain couldn't comprehend how this woman still thought so highly of her after everything she had just said to her._

 _"Be your own hero," Kara practically begged, and there was no mistaking the emotion in her voice as well. Kara's blue eyes seemed to have a gloss to them and Lena thought she might be holding back her own tears._

 _It had to be an act. It was just another manipulation to get what she wanted, but Lena knew that wasn't true._

 _Lena hated the way this woman was making her feel, with those piercing eyes feeling as though they were staring right through her stoic mask, right to her damaged heart._

 _Unable to maintain the contact, Lena picked up her tablet, trying her best to pull herself together and look unaffected by Kara's plea._

 _Lena would not let her walls down again. If she did, she was certain she wouldn't survive it._

 _"You can leave the same way you came in," she told the woman as coldly as she could with her chest constricting as painfully as it was._

 _She could feel Kara's eyes boring a hole through her, but Lena refused to look up. She didn't trust herself enough to meet those eyes again._

 _She knew Kara was telling her the truth now, but she was much too proud to admit that another member of her family had betrayed her again. When Lex had revealed his true colors, it had almost been too much for her to bear. And now her mother too?_

 _Sensing the blonde's movement, Lena took a sharp inhale, deep down hoping that Kara would approach her. Or at least stay. But Lena had ordered her away and Kara was too good of a person to do anything against her wishes._

 _Lena hadn't really ever given it much thought but if Kara wanted to she could really do whatever she wanted to her. She was Supergirl after all, one of the most powerful beings on this planet… but Lena wasn't afraid of her._

 _Lena was only certain of one thing: Kara- as Supergirl or not- would never harm her._

 _Then she was gone. Lena finally allowed herself to gaze at the space Kara had just vacated, regret seeping through her. Kara had sowed the seeds of doubt about her mother's involvement in Cadmus. Lena knew Kara was right. And if she was right, Lena had no choice but to fix what she had just broken._

* * *

Denial had always been Lena's go-to defense mechanism, but she regretted throwing those accusations at Kara. While she had done her best to remedy her mistake, she still felt like her reaction to Kara telling her about her mother had more to do with her initial anger about Kara not telling her about being Supergirl.

It felt as though she was constantly being deceived by the people around her. First it was her father… never admitting she was really a Luthor after all. Then, it had been Lex… hiding his hatred for aliens and eventually trying to murder countless innocents. Her mother… the leader of Cadmus, just as bad, if not worse than Lex.

And finally, Kara... lying about her identity as Supergirl. To what end? Her anger hadn't felt unjustified at the time but she'd come to realize over time that there was a big difference between her family's deception and Kara's motivation.

When her father lied it was to cover up his own infidelity. When Lex lied it was to hide his monstrous intentions to murder. When her mother lied it was to use Lena to reach her own ends.

But Kara… Kara lied to protect her. It had just taken her a while to see that. Being emotionally mistreated by her mother for so long made it next to impossible for Lena to comprehend how lying could be anything but a tool for manipulation. How could she fathom that someone would care for her, want to actually protect her instead of wanting to hurt her?

It had been a process. One that took time, so she wasn't about to fall victim to her mother's mind games now.

"It's funny. You weren't concerned about my safety when you sent that Cyborg to L Corp, who tried to kill me… or those two men who, also, tried to kill me… or when you used me to get into L Corp's storage of alien weapons…," Lena wasn't even angry anymore, she said all of this matter-of-factly. The smirk on Lillian's face never faltered as Lena spoke; she'd been the one to teach Lena how to hide her emotions so well after all.

"It was Supergirl who saved me from you every single time. The evidence seems to suggest that my faith is well placed actually." Lena finished, holding her mother's gaze unflinchingly. Kara had defended her at every turn and, while it wouldn't matter to Lillian, it felt good to return the favor.

"You've said your piece…now, you can show yourself out," Lena gestured towards the door.

"You know, she's not who she says she is…pretending to be a reporter just so she can get close to you… manipulate you," Lillian said evenly, making no move to leave.

That was rich coming from her mother but this was new: her mother appeared to be grasping at straws. She must really be starting to see that Lena was no longer under her thumb, no longer so easily controlled.

"I'm well aware of who she is, Mother," Lena sighed, only glancing up briefly to give her mother a withering look before turning back to her laptop. On the inside, she panicked a little. Lillian, the leader of Cadmus, knew Supergirl was Kara Danvers… how long had her mother known? What was to keep her from targeting the people closest to Kara?

Two could play this game though.

"And if you _ever_ try to hurt her or her family again, I will not hesitate to send you back to prison, so you and Lex can spend the rest of your miserable lives rotting in maximum securtiy," the loathing for her mother, seeping into her voice. So much for keeping her emotions in check.

* * *

 _Making Lillian believe that Lena was really on her side had been much too easy. Or maybe she had just become too good of a liar after all these years._

 _They arrived at the site and Lena saw the flat bed truck with a large tarp. Lillian stepped right up to it and wrenched it off in one fluid motion, revealing the huge weapon underneath. Her heart raced as she thought about what she was about to do but she remained stoic, afraid to give anything away._

 _Lena followed her mother as she made her way to table with the launching device, pulling the chain that was around her neck over her head._

" _You know, some mothers carry a locket with pictures of their children, you carry the keys to a bazooka," she commented to Lillian wryly; never missing an opportunity to remind her mother how little she was like other mothers._

 _Watching as Lillian prepped the device, Lena tried to subtly glance around in hopes of spotting Supergirl or the police. She had called the police so they should definitely be on their way but a part of her also hoped that Supergirl wouldn't try to intervene. The Cyborg had harmed her before and Lena didn't want that to happen again._

 _"It's a rocket launcher…," Lillian corrected her, matter-of-factly, "And it's yours…take it. Prove you're with me. Unleash Medusa and end Earth's alien menace once and for all."_

 _It was almost a challenge, Lillian obviously still didn't completely believe that Lena was on her side. That was to be expected but Lena had anticipated this from her mother. So, as Lillian held out the key in both of her hands, Lena removed her own hand from her pocket slowly and accepted it from her._

 _She made her way around her mother and stood in front of the launch mechanism. She was moving a little more slowly than she normally would have to give the police more time to get here. Keeping her face as unreadable as she could, Lena inserted the key into the device._

 _Before she could turn it though, two figures landed behind her, drawing her attention over her shoulder. Her eyes landed on Supergirl and the Martian._

 _"Don't do it, Lena," Kara plead with her, not moving towards her. It was interesting. Kara could have probably stopped her if she really wanted to; her super speed making it easy to snatch the key away from her. It was as if she didn't truly believe that Lena was capable of what it appeared she was doing._

 _"Why not? I'm a Luthor," Lena shot back coldly, trying to play this up for her mother as long as possible. More than anything, she didn't want Kara to think she was capable of killing hundreds of thousands of aliens but in order to stop her mother she had to do this._

 _She no longer felt that Kara saw her as just another Luthor. Lena just wished she would have listened to her to begin with when she tried to tell her that Lillian was the leader of Cadmus. But she was going to make this right. Lena just hoped that Kara would forgive her for the deception._

 _She faced back towards the device and turned the key. A moment later the rocket fired off of the truck and into the dark sky of National City. Lena watched wide-eyed as Supergirl jumped into the air after the missile._

 _Lillian then picked up the launching device and turned a second key, effectively blowing the missile and unleashing the inert virus._

 _Lena couldn't make out Supergirl in the darkness but her heart raced in fear. That part hadn't been in her plan. If any harm came to Kara she would never be able to live herself._

 _Her eyes frantically scanned where the missile had exploded but she just couldn't spot the superhero. Despite the battle between the Martian and Henshaw happening mere yards away from her, Lena could only focus on trying to locate Kara._

 _In the blink of an eye, Supergirl tackled Henshaw to the ground, knocking him unconscious. Lena breathed an audible sigh of relief from behind her mother, but Lillian didn't seem to notice._

 _"You may be a Cyborg but you are no Superman," Kara told him angrily before her attention returned to the red dust falling around them._

 _The look in those blue eyes made Lena want to run over to Kara and tell her everything was okay, that she had tricked Lillian in order to catch her. But, she needed to hold out just a little longer to make Lillian pay for what she had done._

 _"They should be dead… all aliens should be dead," she could hear Lillian's confusion as she stared at the unharmed aliens in front of her._

 _Lena stepped up beside her as Lillian's gaze dropped, realization of Lena's betrayal seeming to finally hit her._

 _"You… You switched out the isotope. You made the virus inert," she deduced, knowing she had been fooled by her own daughter._

 _"I did," Lena admitted, "And I called the police."_

 _If Lena didn't know any better she thought Lillian also looked a little impressed at the level of Lena's manipulation, something that made a feeling of disgust wash over her._

* * *

The sound of a knock at her door drew her eyes from the harsh glare Lena was giving her mother to the new arrival. Believing it to be Lana, Lena called,

"Come in."

But it wasn't her assistant that poked her head through the door.

A wave of happiness filled her as a familiar blonde head appeared in her doorway, bright blue eyes found hers almost instantly.

"Hey… Lana stepped away for a sec and I didn't know- is now a bad time? I can come back-," Kara explained in a rush, before she slowly realized that Lena wasn't alone.

"Oh, I'm sorry! I didn't realize you had company. I'll just-," she apologized just as quickly moving to back out of the room, but as Lillian looked over her shoulder, the reporter did a double take.

"Lillian?" Kara had obviously been just as surprised as she was that her mother had the audacity to show up here after everything she had done and everything she had tried to do.

The Kryptonian straightened up and opened the office door wider so she could enter the space. Lena took her in her appearance as Kara stood there surveying the room. She wore grey slacks and a plain dark blue sweater, her blonde hair half pulled back into a clip while the rest cascaded down around her shoulders.

"Kara…," Lena words came out softer than she intended with her mother in the room, knowing that she had already betrayed her feelings for the blonde.

If Lena didn't know any better she thought Lillian's smirk had become more sinister. An overwhelming urge to protect Kara swept over Lena, so much so that she stood from her desk and crossed the room to stand between them.

Being this close to Kara she could see those piercing eyes frost over, giving her mother a harsh glare, one she reserved only for her worst enemies.

"Please…, stay," Lena entreated the blonde, slipping her hand into Kara's and entwining their fingers. Those icy blue eyes turned their attention to her, melting as they looked at her with warmth that made Lena's heart flutter every time.

Nodding her head towards Lillian, Lena continued, "Besides, Mother was just leaving, weren't you?"

Lillian sneered, but lifted her purse from where she had deposited it on the chair and stepped around them both. The older woman paused and seemed to open her mouth to say something but the door opened as if on cue. Lana rushed in, out of breath.

"I am so, so sorry, Ms. Luthor. I just stepped away for a minute and-," Lana began but Lena quickly interjected.

"It's all right, Lana. It was Kara. But could you notify security that if Lillian Luthor steps onto L Corp property again the police are to be called immediately?" Lena addressed the nervous assistant, while not breaking eye contact with her mother.

"Shall I have Christopher escort you out?" Lena directed this towards her mother, but Lillian's smirk never faltered.

"Really, Lena? That won't be necessary," Lillian said with her usual patronizing air. She buttoned up her coat and pulled her gloves on her hands in preparation to leave but couldn't resist having the final word.

"You know, you always were my greatest disappointment, Lena... But Cadmus will persevere with or without you. And if you're not with us then you're just another hindrance," Lillian's words dripped with resentment but Lena kept her face flat. For the most part, these were sentiments that Lena had heard from her mother time and again. The one addition that gave her pause was the last part. Lena couldn't help but think her mother was insinuating that she now considered her a threat to the cause. If that was the case, Luthors handled threats in one way: eliminated them.

Lillian turned on her heel and strode out of the office without another word.

"Hey, are you okay?" Kara asked her softly, angling to face her, and taking her other hand, so she held both. Warmth spread through her at the contact and she gave Kara a small smile.

"Yeah, just a typical mother-daughter spat right?" Lena replied with as much sarcasm as she could muster but she could hear her voice fall flat. She looked down at their joined hands, unable to meet the piercing blue eyes she knew were staring at her.

Without saying anything, Kara slid her hands from Lena's, up her arms and around her shoulders, pulling her into a tight hug.

Seemingly on instinct, Lena's hands found their way around Kara's narrow waist, eliminating any space between them. The superhero had given her several hugs in the course of their friendship and every time Lena was overwhelmed by the sense of security she felt in the other woman's arms.

The heat emanating through Kara's clothes from her Kryptonian skin was comforting and Lena wished she could feel more of it. She ran her hands up the other woman's back and gripped those powerful shoulders so their bodies were flush with one another. That still wasn't enough so Lena buried her face into the delicate curve of neck and getting lost in Kara's golden tresses. She tried to memorize every detail of this moment so she would never forget what being in Kara's arms felt like.

Thoughts of her mother's visit mere minutes ago were a distant memory until Kara's voice broke the silence.

"I'm proud of you, you know," Kara whispered, her warm breath caressing Lena's ear. The sensation caused an involuntary shiver of pleasure to shudder up and down her spine.

At the reporter's words, as much as Lena's whole body fought it, she allowed her hands to slide back to their place on Kara's waist, so she could lean back and look into those sapphire eyes without letting her go.

The superhero must have read the question in her expression so she elaborated,

"For standing up to your mother like that… You're amazing."

Kara's encouraging words paired with their closeness, made Lena want to forget everything she had promised herself and just kiss the superhero. Her eyes darted down to the pink lips mere inches away, imaging what they would feel like against her own, what they would taste like.

But Kara was the one that had just come out of a relationship- not only that but she had to send her own boyfriend away. Lena needed to keep reminding herself of that fact.

If there was going to be anything between them at all then Kara had to set the pace. So, just as quickly as they had drifted, she forced her eyes back up to Kara's, hardening her resolve and telling herself she could be just as good as Kara believed her to be.

Clearing her throat, Lena's lips curled into a smile and she forced herself to pull further away from Kara, her hands sliding down to return to their original position in both of Kara's.

"I'm sorry, you came here for something," Lena asked giving their joined hands a little shake as if to shake away her desire to kiss the hero and actually change topics.

"Oh, yeah, uhm it can wait, it's not a big deal," Kara seemed to stumble over her words, a nervousness coming over her.

The woman gave her an anxious smile and Lena loved the way her ears and neck seemed to always turn red first when she was embarrassed about something. What had the superhero all hot and bothered?

"No, please, my mother isn't allowed to ruin everything, okay? What is it?" Lena insisted jokingly, and being rewarded with a short laugh from Kara

"It's just- well- I was actually coming by to see if you wanted to go out to dinner?" Kara managed at last, releasing Lena's hands to fiddle with her glasses.

Lena knew her smile must take up her entire face. Of all of the things that she had been expecting… it hadn't been that.

Just as quickly she had to remind herself to calm down. She and Kara had gone out to eat several times, it didn't necessarily mean anything. Sarcasm, paired with denial, were her strongest defense mechanisms so she deployed it now to protect herself from getting her hopes up.

"Kara Danvers… are you asking me out on a date?" Lena only half-joked, leaning back against her desk, tilting her head to the side, and watching the woman in front of her appraisingly.

Something in Kara's demeanor seemed to change. All at once she stopped messing with her glasses and planted her hands on her hips, striking a familiar pose, one she typically reserved for when she was Supergirl.

"Actually…Yes, I am… Lena, will you go on a date with me?" she said self-assuredly, having apparently found her confidence in Lena's sarcastic question.

Lena barely heard Kara's response, so loud was the sound of her blood pumping in her ears. But she heard it, she did. Kara Danvers had just asked her on a date… Maybe a Luthor and a Super could be together after all.

She couldn't deny the swell of happiness that rose in her chest at her words and she was finally able to exhale, not realizing she had been holding her breath.

Without hesitation, she replied,

"I'd love to."

* * *

 **A/N: So sorry for the long gap in chapters, folks! My wife gave birth to our first child and, needless to say, I've been a little preoccupied!** **I hope you all haven't give up on this fic because I'm still inspired by all of your reviews and plan to continue, albeit with probably much slower updates while we adjust to being new parents! This chapter is named after Tegan and Sara's song "I'm Not Your Hero." Let me know what you all think and I can't wait to read your reviews!**


	8. White Lie

_Disclaimer: I do not own or profit from Supergirl or its plots or characters._

* * *

 **Chapter 8:** **White Lie**

 _"I'd love to."_

Those words had been ringing in Kara's ears since Lena had said them. It was now several days later, and her heart still raced at the idea that the gorgeous CEO had accepted her date proposal even if it hadn't really been her intention to ask her out.

She had meant to tell her right then and there that she was Supergirl. When Kara had arrived at Lena's office and saw that Lillian Luthor was there she lost some of her nerve. Even though the Luthor matriarch had not only kidnapped and tortured her but had also tried to kill her on various occasions Kara wasn't afraid of her. Lillian already knew her identity and had said herself that she had no intention of telling Lena, but there was just something about seeing Lena's mother there that made her hesitate.

So, during her and Lena's embrace Kara decided to delay the inevitable once again. Maybe it was partly because she didn't want to overshadow the importance of Lena standing up to her mother, but if Kara was honest with herself then she knew that the real reason she kept avoiding telling her secret was because she was scared.

As she had clung to Lena all Kara could think was that she never wanted the moment to end. Lena seemed to fit perfectly in her arms and if she told Lena that she was Supergirl she may never get the opportunity to hold the brunette like that again. Lena may see her keeping her identity a secret throughout their entire friendship as the ultimate betrayal and Kara didn't know if she was ready to live her life without Lena in it.

No doubt it was the selfish thing to do, but Kara just wasn't ready to give this up yet, not when they were so close.

Muffled chimes brought her back to the present and Kara scrambled to find her phone amongst the pile of papers on her desk. Finally, she located the offending device and saw the picture of her sister smiling up at her. Kara gave the screen a quick swipe with her thumb and held the phone up to her ear but just as she was about to greet Alex, her sister's voice cut her off.

"Did you pick out an outfit? Did you decide where to go? How are you feeling?" Alex asked her all in a rush.

When she'd told Alex about her asking Lena out, Kara was pretty sure that she had never seen her sister look more impressed. And that was saying something considering all the superhuman things she had accomplished as Supergirl.

"No. No. And I feel like I'm going to throw up," Kara replied to each question in turn, ending with a drawn-out sigh.

It wasn't as though she hadn't given these things a lot of thought. Quite the opposite. She had particularly been struggling with where to take Lena which she really needed to figure out to determine what to wear. A few back and forth texts with Lena hadn't really helped her much because the CEO had told her that Kara had asked her out, thus she was in charge of picking the place. All that was certain was that Kara was going to be at Lena's apartment at 8 o'clock tonight.

"Kara, everything's going to be perfect. Really. But if you'd like I can come over and help you get ready," Alex offered. Kara could picture her sister trying to sound off-hand, but she knew that Alex was almost as excited as she was about this date, so she accepted gratefully,

"Yes, please, and thank you."

Kara sighed in relief. Not that having her sister there was going to make her feel any less anxious but at least she would have someone to share in her nervousness.

As Alex started talking again Kara happened to glance up from her desk, her eyes catching sight of James walking towards her desk. The look on his face seemed to suggest that she was about to get scolded again.

"I'll come by around 6 and we'll find you a dress that'll make Lena want to-," as much as she wanted to hear what Lena would want to do, Kara cut her sister off as James arrived to stand in front of her.

"Hey, sorry, Alex, I got to go. I'll see you tonight. Bye," she ended the call, never breaking eye contact with James as he towered over her.

His arms were folded across his chest as he looked down at her and her annoyance at his protective paternalism returned with a vengeance.

" _It's using her friends that I'm worried about," his_ words to her about Lena rung in her ears. Even after it had been proven that Lena hadn't taken the Kryptonite, James still was weary of her motives. And with his continued hostility, especially after the last few days, Kara was done with it.

"James," she greeted with a tight-lipped smile. She still hadn't forgiven him for how he had treated her at the DEO. She knew he was just trying to protect her, but he was always asking for her trust. It felt like he was being such a hypocrite, he told her that she had his trust and yet didn't trust her feelings about Lena being a good person.

"Kara…," it seemed saying her name caused a change in his demeanor because he appeared to soften a bit. He unfolded his arms and lowered his head slightly with a small sigh.

"About the other day at the DEO… it wasn't my place to judge your choice to tell Lena," he began quietly, lifting eyes to meet hers. It was lunchtime at CatCo and most of her coworkers had gone out or at least wandered back to the break room to eat, but James kept his voice low just in case.

Kara would be lying if she said she wasn't a little taken aback by his statement, but he continued as her mind tried to process this turn of events.

"You always see the best in people and I just don't want you to get taken advantage of," he told her earnestly and Kara opened her mouth to argue with him, but he quickly added,

"Please, let me finish."

Closing her mouth, Kara nodded and allowed him to say his piece.

"But I know it's your unwavering faith in people that makes them want to be better, do good. You did that for me. So, I guess what I'm trying to say is that… I'm sorry," he concluded, his warm brown eyes apologetic.

This made her so happy. Of course, she had been planning on telling Lena with or without his blessing, so to speak, but knowing he supported her made it feel as though a huge weight had been lifted from her shoulders. She was his friend after all and his opinion mattered to her, even when everything in her body told her that he was so very wrong about Lena. The only response Kara could think of was simple but true,

"James… that means a lot to me."

He seemed relieved at her words, dropping his head momentarily before glancing back up at her, this time with a grin stretched across his features. Kara was sure he hated them being angry with each other just as much as she did, so she was just as relieved.

"Now, go home. You're not going to be getting any work done stressing about your date with Lena," he ordered her, and Kara was certain her jaw hit the floor.

"How- what- who?" Kara stammered before the realization dawned on her.

"Alex, you-," she started wanting to call her sister her every name in the book for sharing the news of her date with Lena. Who else had she told?

James just laughed as walked away from her desk, shaking his head in amusement.

Seething, Kara gathered her things and set off. But even her anger at Alex couldn't keep her from replaying James' words,

"… _it's your unwavering faith in people that makes them want to be better, do good…."_

Did she really make Lena want to be a better person?

* * *

 _No matter how hard she tried to convince every single person in her life that Lena was on the side of good, Kara always seemed to fail. Why couldn't they all see that she was a Luthor in name only? Lena had betrayed her own mother to save the aliens of National City yet everyone, James especially, seemed to still find reasons she couldn't be trusted. And honestly, Kara was getting tired of it._

 _Disregarding James' unfounded warning and following her own intuition, Kara decided to go see Lena and try to cheer her up. It couldn't feel good to testify against your own mother, even if Lena's mother happened to be the definition of evil._

 _So, during her lunch break Kara made her way over to L Corp to see Lena, and as previously ordered by the CEO, Kara was shown in right away without argument. As she entered she could see the raven-haired woman facing away from her. Kara knew by her super hearing that Lena had been watching the news, but Lena must have heard her enter because she cut the TV off quickly. As she glanced over her shoulder, If Kara wasn't mistaken, she thought she had detected a sigh of relief come from the woman._

 _Kara smiled in greeting at the woman who returned the gesture, turning to give Kara her full attention, taking a few steps toward her desk and setting the remote down there as she spoke._

 _"Everyone in National City's got an opinion about me," Lena said flippantly, and Kara could tell she was trying to seem like she wasn't bothered by the news coverage of the trial. But her super hearing had caught the tail end of the news report that Lena had been watching before Kara arrived and it just validated her decision to come here. Lena needed someone in her corner right now and Kara would be that person for her when no one else would._

 _"Ungrateful daughter… heroine… bitch…," Lena listed off while coming to perch on the edge of her desk in front of Kara._

 _Anger coursed through her at the idea people would use that word to describe this woman, who only wanted to do the right thing._

 _Despite the walls Lena had put up, Kara could see how exhausted she was by all this. The CEO folded her arms almost protectively in front of herself, but the blonde was determined to show Lena that she was here to support her and nothing else. She tried her best to push down her strong reaction and managed a sympathetic groan in response before Lena continued,_

 _"They're all calling for a quote- not you though? Snapper hasn't sent you here to shave me down?" The brunette seemed to be only half-joking as she asked this, her accent slipping through. Kara felt the need to quickly clarify, so she assured her,_

 _"No. No, I'm here as a friend."_

 _Lena seemed relieved by this statement but also there was something else in her posture that Kara couldn't quite discern. The woman's eyes seemed to cast downward at the word, 'friend,' and her hand reached up to rub the back of her neck. That was a gesture Kara hadn't seen from the confident, powerful businesswoman. She knew Lena was stressed about this whole trial with her mother, so Kara decided to chalk it up to that._

 _"I thought you might need some fried sugary goodness in your life. You eat donuts, right?" Kara offered, holding up the paper bag with an innocent smile on her face as Lena's eyes shifted upwards to look at her once again._

 _Holding back a smile, the raven-haired woman uncrossed just one of her arms shifting towards Kara just slightly as she responded,_

 _"Ah, well…I am human."_

 _Kara's heart stopped for just a second. Did she know that Kara wasn't human? Was that why she said that? No… It was just a figure of speech…Right?_

 _Lena pushed herself off from the desk and playfully took the bag from her, so Kara quickly realized that Lena was just joking and had no idea that she was, in fact, not human herself._

 _"Thank you, Kara," the CEO replied gratefully, passing by her and making her way to the couch. Kara took this as an invitation to follow her and did so, asking,_

 _"So, was it horrible?"_

 _"I mean, it actually felt good to testify. I actually got to say my piece; distance myself from the Luthor name," Lena explained, lowering herself gracefully to sit on the couch and Kara did the same._

 _"And then I came back here to twelve calls from her lawyers," she continued with a pained smile, holding the donut delicately with the fingertips of both hands. Kara couldn't help but think she was just using the sugary treat as a distraction._

 _"Yeah, she wants to see me," Lena finished, lowering her eyes to the donut in her hands. Kara felt like Lena let her sarcastic demeanor slip for just a moment and she could see the emotion swirling in those green depths._

 _"What do you think she wants?" Kara asked, taking a bite out of one of the donuts._

 _All she really wanted to do was scoop Lena up in her arms, take off from the balcony, and fly the brunette far away from all of this. But there was no running away from this, from Lena's mother or her childhood, so Kara did the next best thing: she listened._

 _"Probably to tell me that my outfit in court was horrible and that I need a makeover," Lena's sarcasm had quickly returned paired with a humorless laugh but something in the woman's tone told Kara that this response was a little closer to home than maybe even she had intended._

 _Of course, she was honored that this woman considered her a friend, her only friend even, but the more Lena let her in, the more she shared, the more her anger grew at Lillian. It was easy to see why Lena had built these walls around herself. It seemed like she had had to constantly protect herself from Lillian's manipulation and emotional abuse almost her whole life._

 _"I don't know, and I don't care," Lena told her unconvincingly, "I just thought I was done with her, you know… shut the door on being a Luthor."_

 _The woman next to her became overly concerned with the icing on the donut in hand once again and Kara didn't need X-ray vision to see the tempest of conflicting feelings going on inside of Lena._

 _Kara couldn't even begin to imagine what it must feel to have everyone you thought you loved and cared about betray you. Granted, it didn't sound like Lillian was winning any 'Mother of the Year' awards but it was clear that Lena held some affection for her mother, even if Kara felt it may be misplaced._

 _"Then there she was… back on my phone…she…," Lena seemed to be unable to formulate the rest of the sentence. Kara had listened to her, unsure of what to say to make the brunette feel better._

 _"Twelve times," Kara repeated quietly, looking down as well._

 _"You don't think I should feel guilty for not wanting to go see that monster, right?" Lena asked, looking to Kara for validation._

 _She could see exactly where Lena was coming from, but she had to keep reminding herself that Lena's mother had tortured her and had also tried to murder her and all the other aliens in National City. Regardless, Lillian was in jail and Kara wanted nothing more than to ease Lena's mind. So, Kara countered with another question,_

 _"Well, do you think you would find peace of mind visiting her and telling her how you really feel?"_

 _"Even if I did, it wouldn't make a difference," Lena's voice had lowered an octave as she averted her gaze. It physically pained Kara to see her Lena like this, so torn up over her mother. If only it were easy to just rip that page out of her book, but Lillian just wouldn't leave her daughter alone, emotionally tormenting her even from behind bars. The vulnerability in the CEO's voice was excruciatingly apparent as Lena continued,_

" _She's been the same way since the day I met her."_

 _Lena's eyes had darkened a shade as they finally returned to meet hers, but it was Kara's turn to look away now. She couldn't handle how those eyes made her feel. Lena was looking at her with such regret and disappointment and guilt. Kara wanted to be angry at Lillian for making Lena feel even an ounce of pain but all she felt right this moment was the need to take that pain away._

 _"I've spent most of my life wishing I could talk to people who are no longer here," Kara spoke quietly, memories of screaming at the hologram of her mother at the DEO floating to the surface._

 _The raw memories of her own family crept in as she imagined what it would be like to have the opportunity to confront them on all of the things they had done. More than anything she wished she could share that with Lena, but she just couldn't… not without revealing all. So, as usual Kara had spoken from her heart, but was careful not to delve too deep._

 _She adjusted her glasses, using her ring finger to avoid getting sticky donut glaze on the rims, and she could feel Lena staring at her the entire time, but she persisted,_

 _"She's still here… and she's still your mom."_

 _As Kara finished, she leaned her head back slightly and gathered the courage to look over at Lena, meeting those forest green eyes directly._

 _"Yea," Lena mumbled, still looking as though she were lost in thought, seemingly considering Kara's advice._

 _Kara wished so badly that she could tell Lena she was Supergirl; to show her that she was not so different, that her family had done terrible things too but that didn't keep her from loving some part of them that she remembered as being good._

 _Instead, Kara pushed these feelings aside, once again telling herself she was doing this to protect Lena._

* * *

After chewing Alex out for sharing the news of her date to James, Kara and her sister were able to buckle down and go through her wardrobe. Two things were immediately apparent to Kara during this exercise: one, she owned way more clothes than she realized, and two, nothing seemed good enough for the occasion.

After about an hour, it felt as though Kara had tried on every single piece of clothing she owned, and she still couldn't settle on anything. Eight o'clock was approaching much faster than Kara's nerves were prepared for and she was nowhere near ready.

"Okay, just breath, Kara," Alex grabbed her by the upper arms, forcing her to look at her sister rather than the mountain of clothes piled on her bed.

Alex was trying so hard to be helpful, but Kara just couldn't calm her frayed nerves. What if she picked a terrible outfit? What if Lena only accepted her date request because she felt bad for her and was just trying to be nice?

Regardless, Kara heeded her sister's advice and let her eyes drift close as she inhaled and exhaled several times before she was back to an almost-normal rhythm.

Opening her eyes, she could see Alex giving her an encouraging smile. Out of the corner of her eye, a dark blue fabric tucked underneath several other articles of clothing caught her attention. She stepped away from her sister and took hold of the overlooked garment and pulled it from the pile, causing a mini avalanche of dresses.

It was a strapless, knee-length dress that was lacy on top and form-fitting in the legs and hips, separated by a thick belt. Kara wondered how she had overlooked this one. She had originally bought it for Lena's gala fundraiser but had opted for the gray dress because it was easier to change out of and she didn't really care if it got ruined. So, this blue dress had managed to get tucked away in the back of her closet, never to be worn.

"Ooh, I like," Alex declared, taking a swig of the beer that she had helped herself to from Kara's fridge sometime during their outfit-finding odyssey.

Kara agreed, so she shed the yellow sun dress she had been wearing and slipped up the deep blue garment. Without a word, Alex helped zip her up and followed Kara to her full-length mirror.

The fabric clung to her body and it revealed more of her skin than she was used to but she it was certainly flattering. Kara couldn't help but feel beautiful in this dress, but would Lena think so too?

Alex's teasing voice came from over her shoulder a moment later,

"Are you saying, 'yes' to the dress?"

"This is the one," Kara replied, too stressed to play along with her sister's joke. Turning in the mirror, Kara looked at herself from various angles just to be sure there wasn't any kind of flaw.

"Good… Because it's 07:53."

Kara's head snapped to look at Alex.

"WHAT?!"

Thankfully, Kara had already done her hair and makeup but there was no way around it… she was going to have to fly to Lena's place or risk being extremely late. Exchanging a quick good-bye with her sister, Kara slipped on her shoes, rushed out onto her fire escape, took a quick look around to see if anyone was watching, and then launched herself into the air.

* * *

 _To Kara, no one ever seemed to see the irony… the irony of supposedly being the most powerful being on Earth when all the people she cared about seemed to so fragile in comparison. Of course, that wasn't a fair description of Lena Luthor- she is anything but fragile- but it felt appropriate whenever Kara imagined all the ways Lena could be hurt or killed._

 _At Lillian's trial, Kara chastised herself for not anticipating something like this was going to happen. Corben had gotten fired up on the witness stand then the chaos began._

 _Immediately, Kara had looked to her left, past her sister to verify that Lena was getting to safety. They hid behind the wooden barrier in front of them and Kara was relieved to see Lena crouch low and make her way quickly out of the courtroom with everyone else. Everyone except her, Alex, Lillian, and Corben, that is._

 _Kara hadn't seen Lena since then and when she was able to track her down she knew her fear had gotten the better of her. An anxious tone colored all her words and she could hear that she was starting to sound accusatory._

 _As soon as Lena had stepped off the elevator, Kara was there waiting. A look of surprise appeared on the CEO's face, quickly followed by relief and then on to concern in the span of only a mere few seconds._

 _"Kara! I couldn't find you after what happened at the trial. I was so worried. Are you all right?"_

 _Standing as Lena approached her, Kara couldn't help but take in the raven-haired woman's appearance. Wearing a deep green pencil skirt that ended mid-calf and a black blouse with a deep V-neck, Lena was beautiful. Her hair was pulled up in her typical bun which accentuated her strong jawline and the elegant curve of her neck._

 _Wait… what? Where did that come from? Sure, the raven-haired woman was gorgeous but why was she paying so much attention all of a sudden?_

 _Kara mentally shook herself, reminding herself why she was there in the first place, brushing off Lena's concern lest her mind got off track once again. So, she got right to the point,_

" _I'm fine. I really need to talk to you. You were at the jail last night, weren't you?"_

 _She watched as Lena's face changed from the knitted brow of concern to the icy flatness she used with everyone but her._

 _Giving Kara a slight nod, Lena turned sharply and strode purposefully into her office, Kara followed closely behind. As Lena's assistant closed the double doors behind them, Lena spoke, sounding a little hurt and more than just a little defensive,_

" _You know I was at the jail to see my mother last night. You're the one that told me to go."_

 _The last thing Kara wanted was for Lena to feel like she was attacking her or accusing her, but Lena needed to hear what she had to say and quick._

 _"I know… it's just… people are losing it because of your mother's escape and I wanted you to know so you could be prepared," she said in a rush to assure the CEO that she was on her side and just trying to look out for her._

 _They came to stand in their usual spot in front of Lena's desk and when Lena finally looked at her, Kara used her eyes to plead for the CEO to believe her. Lena's shoulders seem to visibly relax, and her eyes seemed to soften just a little. The vulnerability crept back into her voice as she asked,_

 _"Ok… so tell me, what are people saying?"_

 _Kara could tell the brunette was anxious because she didn't seem to know what to do with her hands, gesturing and then holding them together in front of her. But then she did the same when it came time to deliver the bad news._

 _"That you may have also visited Metallo," the words came out slowly, illustrating Kara's unwillingness to say them aloud. She watched as Lena considered this, her walls going even higher back up this time, almost shutting Kara out completely in order to protect herself._

 _"And you think that's something I would do," Lena replied, clearly wounded by what she thought Kara was suggesting. Lena's eyes seemed to stare right through her, not quire meeting her eyes._

 _"I-uh," Kara stumbled, her eyes closing as she tried not to reveal that maybe, subconsciously a small part of her did think that Lena may have had something to do with it. Either way, she didn't come up with something fast enough and Lena turned her back on her quickly, retreating behind her desk. Kara was starting to learn Lena's defenses and it seemed as if the CEO used the desk as a barrier of sorts, to put a physical separation to go along with the emotional one she had already created. But Lena wasn't finished,_

 _"You know, Kara, you're starting to sound a lot like a reporter and not like a friend right now."_

 _"I don't mean to-," Kara shot back quickly, finding her words this time but the sound of the door opening stopped her short. She looked over to see Maggie and a couple NCPD cops enter the office without announcing themselves._

" _Maggie? Did you find Lillian?" Kara asked in surprise._

 _"No, we didn't. We're actually here on official business, Kara. I think it would be better if you waited outside while we talk to Ms. Luthor," Maggie's voice was harsh and patronizing but before Kara could respond to her sister's girlfriend Lena spoke up,_

 _"No… I want her to stay."_

 _Kara tried her best to hide her surprise. Honestly, she was kind of shocked after their exchange that Lena would still want her around. Nevertheless, Kara dropped her bag onto one of Lena's chairs and folded her arms across her chest, showing her support for the CEO._

 _"It's okay," she assured the detective and turned to hear why Maggie was there._

 _"The police were sent some surveillance footage I wanted to ask you about," Maggie told her matter-of-factly, pulling out her tablet and showing a video that definitely looked like Lena stealing kryptonite._

 _It felt as though her heart had plummeted into her stomach and her blood had frozen in her veins._

 _Kara refused to believe it… there was no way. Lena would never do something like that and yet… that video was rather damning._

 _"That's- that's not me. I don't know where you got that but that's not me," Lena's voice wavered, something Kara wasn't used to hearing from the confident woman, as she tried to defend herself. To Kara, it seemed she was just as surprised to see that video as she was and was visibly shaken as a result._

 _"You're under arrest for aiding and abetting a felon, accessory after the fact, conspiracy-," Maggie began to list the charges against Lena while stepped behind her with her handcuffs. Kara couldn't believe what she was witnessing. Was this really happening?_

 _Lena offered no resistance, even putting her hands together behind her to make it easier for Maggie to cuff her. All the while, her face shown with a look that said, 'I should have known,' as if being a Luthor it was only a matter of time before someone tried to pin something on her._

 _As her brain struggled to comprehend how all of this had happened so quickly, Kara held her hand out to stop Maggie as she spoke,_

 _"Hold on, Maggie. Slow down. Just let her explain."_

 _Lena gave her a look that she couldn't quite decipher. If Kara had to guess it almost looked like something between disbelief and gratitude but Kara couldn't be sure, and she didn't have time to give it much thought._

 _"Stay out of it, Kara," Maggie shot back from behind Lena and if Kara wouldn't break every bone in Maggie's face doing so, she seriously considered punching the detective._

 _"It's okay," Lena tried to assure her as Maggie began leading her away. All Kara could do was watch, silently seething, as Maggie recited Lena's Miranda rights as she forced the CEO out of her own office._

* * *

Then and every day since Kara had no doubts of Lena's innocence. She thought about this exchange during her short flight to Lena's apartment to remember how it felt hearing Lena say,

 _'I want her to stay.'_

* * *

Lena put so much faith in her so why couldn't Kara just do the same and tell her the truth.

Kara spotted an alleyway near Lena's building and landed silently on the pavement, careful to not ruin the heels she had painstakingly picked out as well. Smoothing her windblown hair and brushing off the front of her dress, Kara inhaled deeply and tried to access the same courage that had made it possible for her to ask Lena out in the first place.

Satisfied with her appearance, Kara strode out of the alley and onto the sidewalk, taking just a quick glance at her phone to verify the address Lena had texted her earlier. She glanced upwards at the modern building, her eyes instinctively traveling to where the penthouse would be, knowing from Lena that's where the she lived. As much as she was tempted, Kara refused to use her X-ray vision to locate Lena, in case she was still getting ready, but Kara couldn't help but notice the large balcony protruding from the side of the apartment. Unbidden, her mind conjured up images of herself as Supergirl alighting on that very balcony.

She was only a few strides away from entrance to the huge skyscraper and as Kara approached a doorman smiled kindly and held the door open for her.

"You must be Ms. Danvers," he greeted. Kara returned his smile. Lena must have let the building security know she was coming because the doorman gestured for her to enter. Kara did so and he directed, "The elevators are just there. Brandon will take you up to Ms. Luthor's floor."

Kara followed where he was pointing and saw a tall, fresh-faced man standing next to the elevator doors who waved when she approached.

She gave the doorman a quick, 'thank you,' before crossing the lobby, her heels clicking loudly on the marble floors. Brandon had the elevator waiting for her and he followed her in, pushing the button for the topmost floor. As the doors slid closed, Brandon must have sensed her nervous energy because he assured her,

"Don't worry. You'll be on time and you look great."

Kara returned his smile, thanking him for his kindness before stepping off the elevator at the penthouse floor. There was only one door with a security guard Kara recognized next to it, Christopher was his name, maybe. Kara stepped forward apprehensively, looking back as she heard the elevator doors begin to close. She glanced back just in time to see Brandon give her an encouraging smile and a thumb's up before they shut completely.

Christopher just nodded at her and pressed a button on the wall next to the door, speaking,

"Ms. Luthor, Ms. Danvers has arrived."

"Thank you, Christopher," came the reply, Lena's voice clear through the speaker before Kara heard the locking mechanism release. "Kara, you can come on in."

Christopher opened the door for her and Kara stepped through hesitantly. Never having been in Lena's apartment before, she didn't want to intrude in any way possible on the Luthor's much-guarded private space.

The door closed behind her and Kara stood awkwardly in the entryway, taking in everything. The style of the apartment was very modern, straight lines and muted colors. The walls and décor were stark, a lot of white; it all looked very clean, almost surgically so. It was hard imagining that this space was lived in, but Lena's voice drew her attention away from design.

"Hi, Kara. I'm sorry, I'll be just another minute. Please, make yourself at home," Lena spoke, her head poking out around a corner with a smile before disappearing again.

Her heart fluttered a little seeing Lena, even if it was just her face and only for a moment. She was still trying to wrap her mind around the fact that she was currently in Lena Luthor's apartment, getting ready to go on a date with her.

Heeding the raven-haired woman's suggestion, Kara stepped further into the apartment. She followed the short hall to the first room which was like a living room except that it looked far from lived in. There was a couch and a coffee table and a flat screen TV and everything was immaculate, but it looked more like an apartment from a magazine than anything else.

Kara crossed the room with the intent to sit and wait anxiously on the couch, but she looked down at the coffee table and noticed a few perfectly fanned out CatCo magazines. She thought nothing of it at first but when she looked closer she saw that they were specifically the issues with articles by herself. It could be a coincidence but Kara's chest filled with warmth at the thought of Lena keeping her articles.

Then her eyes were drawn to the far wall. All the other walls were barren save for this one and Kara's breath hitched at what she saw there.

It was her sketch, the one she made during their picnic, framed and matted as if it were a rare piece of artwork. Kara's heart swelled knowing Lena cherished her quick little sketch enough to have it framed on her living room wall.

Next to it, also framed, was a picture of the two of them from when they went out to lunch one day. Kara smiled as she remembered snapping the selfie of the two of them as proof they had actually tried National City's "best" kombucha… they both had hated it so there were a lot of outtakes of them making disgusted faces but this one was caught on pure accident. They had dissolved into laughter at the waiter catching them making faces, so the picture showed Lena, eyes shut, huge grin on her lips, directly facing the camera and Kara turned towards to the brunette, hiding her face in Lena's shoulder as she giggled uncontrollably.

There were no other personal items, no family pictures, nothing.

Kara could feel her throat closing up as it dawned on her: Lena had no one else. Her father was dead from what Clark had told her…her brother a mass murderer locked away in maximum security prison… and her mother, leader of Cadmus and on the run for attempting a genocide against the aliens of National City…

Every single person in Lena's life had betrayed her in one way or another. As a result, Lena had become so cautious, so closed off from everyone, refusing to allow herself to be hurt again.

And yet, here was Kara in her home, if it could be called that, staring at the only items that obviously meant something to this beautiful, resilient woman. Items that made Lena feel a connection to Kara she had no one else. And it was all based on a lie.

This realization hit her hard and she could feel the back of her eyes burn as the tears formed.

Kara couldn't do this one more second.

How could she take Lena out on this date, knowing that she was no better than the others who had betrayed the Luthor, the people who hurt her? As desperately as she wanted to keep whatever this was with Lena and see where it went this white lie was going to tear her apart if she didn't tell her.

She was so caught up by the pain in her chest that she hadn't heard Lena enter the room. The other woman's soft voice carried across the room,

"Sorry about that. I couldn't seem to find my other earring, but I see you've found my-."

The raven-haired woman had abruptly cut herself off mid-sentence as Kara turned to face her. She knew her eyes were probably red rimmed behind the thick frames of her glasses, but she needed to do this. No more waiting. No more excuses. No more hiding. No more secrets. Lena deserved that from her. And even if Lena wanted nothing more to do with her, at least she would know the truth.

Her eyes took in the raven-haired woman's appearance from across the room. Lena was absolutely stunning. She wore a deep red dress that seemed to hug her every curve. It seemed to perfectly match the rich color of her lips and complimented her midnight black hair which was pulled into a simple but elegant bun.

Kara had seen her in various fancy dresses in her time knowing the CEO but this… this was different. Lena dressed up for her job all the time, but this one was for her, and that knowledge, among other things, caused a warmth to creep into her cheeks which did nothing to distract her from the agony she was in right now.

"Kara… are you all right?" Lena's voice was full of concern as she crossed the room quickly towards her, but Kara took a step back. She was going to need a little distance in order to get this out, so she blurted before she could lose her nerve,

"I can't do this, Lena…. I can't go out with you… not without you knowing the truth about me."

Lena halted her forward progress mere feet from Kara, close enough that if she wanted to Kara could reach out and touch her. She could feel Lena's eyes boring holes into her but Kara didn't have the courage to look her in the eye.

"Kara… whatever it is, it's not going to change how I feel about you," Lena reassured her, spreading her hands out as if in some kind of offering.

As much as Kara wanted to know exactly how Lena felt about her, she had to keep speaking or she was certain her lungs would stop working all together.

"Not even if I said I've been lying to you the entire time you've known me?" it was a hypothetical question but Kara kind of wanted to hear the answer. Lena didn't disappoint, replying quietly,

"I trust you… and I know you're a good person… If you've lied to me then I know it was for a good reason."

That just seemed to twist the knife that was stabbed into her heart right now. Lena believed in her so completely that it was only making this more difficult, but Kara couldn't stop now.

Lena just stood there and listened, patiently waiting, her face a mask of stoicism as Kara continued,

"Too many people have lied and betrayed and manipulated you, and I hate myself for being just like them. And I just want you to know that I never meant to hurt you…"

Kara took a deep breath… this was it… no turning back….

"I'm Supergirl," she blurted finally but that was just the beginning. The flood gates had been opened, "I've wanted to tell you for so long, but I was so afraid that I would lose you. I thought I was protecting you from people who would try to use our relationship against me and target you, but I realized a long time ago-and was reminded again by Lillian of all people- that you were going to be targeted for being you no matter what. Now, I've just been selfishly keeping my identity a secret to keep you in my life."

When she was finished, Kara finally found the courage to shift her gaze upwards to look at Lena.

The beautiful brunette just stared back at her, emotion completely absent from her features, and Kara almost felt that was worse. She wanted her to yell, to curse her, to slap her, anything- none of which Lena would ever do- to let Kara know where she stood because the anticipation was killing her.

Finally, the CEO took a step closer to Kara and she knew she was holding her breath, waiting for whatever Lena had to offer. But she could never have predicted what Lena did next.

Lena raised both her hands to either side of Kara's face, her gentle fingers sliding over the frame of her glasses. Slowly, painfully so, Lena pulled the lead frames from around her ears and off of her face.

Emerald eyes met sapphire ones and Lena never looked away, not even while she set the glasses down on the table next to her. Her hands returned and came to rest lightly on Kara's cheeks, her thumbs stroking away the almost-dry trails her earlier tears had made.

"Kara, I know," Lena spoke finally, but her words were overshadowed by what she did next. Lena leaned in and her lips brushed against Kara's own in a soft kiss.

* * *

 **A/N: I just want to say how very sorry I am for such a long wait in between chapters. First it was the baby and then I got temporarily distracted by writing my Stranger Things novelizations but I'm back! I hope you all still enjoy my little story and thanks for reading!**


	9. Salvation

_Disclaimer: I do not own or profit from Supergirl or its plots or characters._

 **Chapter 9: Salvation**

* * *

Kissing Kara hadn't been part of the plan.

Lena had sworn to herself that she would allow Kara to make the first move, if she returned her feelings at all. Somehow that promise had been swept away with the flurry of emotions that filled the room with Kara's admission.

The kiss had been short and chaste, but it still made Lena feel as though her entire body was electrified. She had waited so long to discover what those lips would feel like against her own and it was more than she could have ever possibly imagined.

Lena wanted so badly to make Kara see that she wasn't angry or upset. Her heart ached to see the other woman in so much agony over this secret and somehow kissing her had been on pure instinct. She could taste the slight saltiness from Kara's tears paired with a subtle sweetness which made for an intoxicating combination.

Realizing what she had done, Lena used every ounce of will power she possessed to break the kiss. She pulled back only mere centimeters, just enough to create space between them, but her eyes remained closed, not ready to face reality quite yet. Her hands remained on either side of the blonde's face, cradling her cheeks. The Kryptonian's skin was soft and warm against her palms, so much so that Lena briefly wondered how something that felt so delicate could literally repel bullets.

As the adrenaline began to wear off and Lena's pulse began to slow to its normal rhythm, fear started to creep in, clenching her heart in its vice-like grip. What if she had just ruined everything between them? Aside from asking her out on this date, Kara had shown no romantic interest in her… had she compromised their friendship?

Finally, she found the courage to slide her eyes open. Clear blue stared back at her, wide with surprise and red-rimmed from her earlier tears. Kara's pink lips parted slightly as if words were on the tip of her tongue, but she remained quiet.

Just when Lena thought she couldn't take the silence any longer, she was surprised when she felt Kara's strong hands slide around her waist. Without a word, Kara put the slightest of pressure on her hips to bring Lena closer, seemingly giving her the opportunity to reject the gesture if she wanted. But that was the last thing Lena wanted to do.

And then Kara's lips were on hers once again, and the apartment seemed to melt away from them. All Lena was aware of was Kara, her body pressed against hers, feathery blonde hair brushing her cheeks. Their dresses allowed for their skin to touch in various places, most noticeably Kara's bare shoulders.

As Lena eagerly returned the kiss, moving her lips in rhythm with Kara's, she allowed one of her hands to slip from Kara's cheek, down to the nape of the blonde's neck, fingers tangling in the tresses there. Kara's arms tightened almost imperceptibly, her hand resting on the small of her back making Lena's skin feel like it was on fire.

Kara was the one to pull away this time, suddenly leaning back slightly to look at Lena.

"Wait… what do you mean you 'know?'" Kara asked after a moment, her brain seemingly having caught up, confusion creasing her forehead.

Lena was reluctant to shatter the moment with her own words because she was afraid that it would end whatever spell that was upon them or she would wake up to realize this was just another one of her dreams.

But this wasn't a dream. This was really happening, and they needed to figure out whatever this thing was between them or risk losing it. Reluctantly, she let her hands fall away from Kara but now she felt compelled to clasp and unclasp them in front of her anxiously.

Lena managed to clear her throat slightly and say, "I think we need to talk."

Kara gave a slight nod and slid her hands from Lena as well, already she felt cold without the Krpytonian's contact. The other woman didn't seem upset or angry, just surprised and more than a little confused.

"I know you probably had plans for this date but how would you feel about take out?" Lena suggested with a warm smile. The blonde returned it with one of her own and seemed to sigh with relief.

"That sounds perfect," Kara told her, looking like she didn't know what to do with herself now, awkwardly fidgeting. She didn't have her glasses to nervously adjust as was her norm, so she was fiddling with the belt on her dress.

Her heart was finally starting to return to its normal rhythm until Lena was finally able to take the time to appreciate the beauty of the superhero.

Kara's dress left very little to the imagination, much like her Supergirl suit it clung to her but unlike her suit it showed off the curve of her hips, the swell of her chest. She was having a difficult time trying not to ogle the woman, but this was easily the most of Kara's body she had ever seen, and she was breathtaking.

Lena tore her eyes from the superhero and made the arrangements with George and Christopher to order them some food. When that was all taken care of, Lena walked to the kitchen to find Kara standing there, waiting patiently, if not a little awkwardly.

Even though Lena had known for a while that Kara was Supergirl, it was times like these that she still had trouble wrapping her mind around it. This completely adorable reporter was the most powerful being on this Earth, her only competition, Superman, having been defeated by her easily.

And yet, how anyone could be afraid of Kara was lost on Lena. She was so sweet, thoughtful, and easily the most compassionate person-human or alien- Lena had ever met. She never felt safer than when she was with the woman beside her now.

* * *

 _Lena watched in disgust as her mother and her two henchmen explored Lex's arsenal as if they were kids in a candy store except the candy was weapons with the power to murder innocent aliens._

 _Throughout this entire ordeal her mother had repeatedly told her she loved her and that she had put her faith in the wrong child and all that bullshit. She should have known her mother was up to something after their exchange when Lena visited her in jail; Lillian using that story of Lionel's alleged infidelity to paint herself as the victim and drop the bomb that Lena was adopted. Lena hadn't had a chance to verify any of what her mother had said before all this happened, but she believed Lillian was telling her the truth. Her mother wasn't really a liar; she just had a habit of twisting the truth beyond recognition._

 _Suddenly, there was a loud crash behind them and almost in unison they all turned to see the familiar blue and red streak of Supergirl land heavily on the concrete, pieces of the roof falling in her wake. Kara straightened up and faced them, ready to do battle with the Cyborg or Metallo; her eyes were hard as she stared them down, those blue depths always gave her the impression of dread, as if the last thing she wanted to do was fight, even if it was the only option left._

 _Lena was the first to speak as they rushed over to the superhero, the awe evident in her voice,_

" _Supergirl! I can't believe you're here."_

 _Those sapphire eyes flicked to hers momentarily and Lena couldn't help but wonder if she was using her powers to see right through her._

 _"Kara Danvers believes in you," was the hero's reply, keeping up the charade even in a time of crisis. If this was under different circumstances, Lena might have laughed at how Supergirl still thought she didn't know that she was, in fact, Kara Danvers._

 _Her mother stepped forward carrying a couple of the weapons they had found in Lex's vault and Lena could see the smug smile on her face. Lillian's oily voice cut through the tension-filled air,_

" _Supergirl, you're just in time. I was wondering if these worked."_

 _Lillian pressed a button on a metal object that looked like a bomb and tossed it at Supergirl. Lena watched in horror as it sailed through the air towards the blonde woman. She couldn't identify most of the alien weapons her mother had found at the storage facility, but it didn't matter because she knew that whatever it was that it was designed to hurt aliens like Kara._

 _Catching the device easily, Kara stared at it for a moment before it began to emit an ear-piercing noise. The superhero's face instantly contorted in pain and she dropped the weapon as if she had been burned. Lena watched as Kara fell to her knees in agony, her hands feebly attempting to cover her ears to muffle the tortuous sound._

 _The shrieking from the device was ringing against Lena's skull and she was human, she could only imagine what it was doing to Kara with her super hearing. But Lillian wasn't through with her yet._

 _"Want to try more of these toys?" she asked in an arrogant voice causing rage to spread through Lena; all she could see was red as she launched herself at her mother, only to be restrained by the rough hands of the Cyborg._

 _"Don't hurt her!" Lena yelled, fighting against the large man holding her back._

 _"Sorry, she's got to pay for what her cousin did to your brother," Lillian continued, unmoved by Lena's plea. Lena continued struggling, desperate to get to Kara or her mother or the device to destroy it, anything. But all Lena could do was watch as Kara was grabbed aggressively by Metallo._

 _The last thing Lena saw was the image of Kara's tortured face before the Cyborg threw her to the ground. Her head struck the smooth concrete, and everything went black._

* * *

Lena remembered waking up on the couch in her office at L Corp, a blanket draped over her body. There were times where she thought she could remember soaring through the air in Kara's arms before passing back out again, but it could've just been wishful thinking.

But now she didn't have to wish… those strong arms had just been around her, just like she had dreamed and hoped for so many times.

To avoid being interrupted, Lena and Kara decided to wait until George came back with their Chinese food before getting too deep in their conversation. They both could sense the weight of what could potentially happen.

In the meantime, Lena had poured them both glasses of some of her best Cabernet Sauvignon, this was still supposed to be a date after all. Lena gave Kara a brief tour of her home, watching Kara out of the corner of her eyes, wanting nothing more than to feel her lips on hers again.

They didn't have to wait long before George returned with their food. He brought it in and Lena told him they had everything they needed and asked all her staff to leave for the night. Christopher was reluctant, as was his protective nature, but he acquiesced.

The only place to really eat was at her dining room table which was embarrassingly large, much too large for an intimate conversation like the one they needed to have. The irony wasn't lost on her of having such a large table and no friends or family to ever fill it.

She and Kara set up on one of the corners, so they could be near enough to one another with still having part of the table to separate them.

The silence was deafening as they divvied up the food on plates. Now the moment to lay all of cards on the table and neither one had quite been able to process that kiss enough to form coherent sentences. But eventually it was Kara who broke the stale mate, setting down her chopsticks and lifting her sapphire eyes to Lena, blurting,

"How long have you known?"

Lena followed suit, giving the reporter her full attention. She could hear in Kara's voice the apprehension. She couldn't really blame her. Anyone knowing her secret could put her and everyone she cared about in danger and the fact that Lena seemed to already know couldn't make her feel like her secret was very safe. Sure, it was entirely possible that somewhere in the L Corp archives there was probably information on Supergirl's alter ego, but Lena had never gone looking for it and she felt compelled to make sure Kara understood she would never jeopardize this information.

"There wasn't really an exact moment I realized it. I just sort of slowly put the pieces together," Lena began, averting her eyes as the memories flooded her. "I wasn't certain until that night you came to my office to warn me about my mother being the leader of Cadmus… I didn't want to believe you. I convinced myself that you were lying to me to hurt me or use me, just like everyone else in my life."

"Lena-," Kara said her name softly. She would never get used to the feeling that rushed through her at the sound of her name on Kara's lips, but she needed to get this out.

"It took some time but then I realized that you were different. You showed me you were different. You were keeping this secret because you thought it would protect me not to manipulate me…," Lena met Kara's eyes once more, all she saw was warmth. "So, I decided to respect your decision to keep it a secret, knowing that you would tell me when you were ready."

"Lena, it killed me to hide this from you," the blonde scooted her chair forward slightly and reached her hand out and covered Lena's hand which rested in her lap with her own. "I felt like I was betraying your trust every time I would show up as Supergirl and pretend, but I convinced myself that it was the right thing to do. All I ever wanted was to keep you safe."

The Kryptonian's skin on hers was welcome after the distance they had created since their kiss. Her head was still reeling at the idea that Kara had kissed her back and it was taking all of her will power not to lean forward to taste those lips again. But there was still so much that needed to be said.

"I think it's more dangerous that you're involved with a Luthor than it is for me to be with a Super," Lena wished she was joking but she knew her mother was dangerous and determined.

Kara lowered her gaze and gave a small laugh at that but they both knew it was true.

"Well, I'm willing to take that chance if you are," Kara's gorgeous smile had returned but only briefly before she became serious again, giving Lena's hand a gentle squeeze. There was something completely amazing to Lena that the most powerful being on Earth, a woman who could literally lift airplanes, could make her touch so gentle.

"I should have told you a long time ago, Lena. I don't want you to ever think that I don't trust you because I trust you more than anyone. And I never meant to hurt you. I never could have imagined that first day we met that we would turn into this," Kara gestured between them with her free hand.

"And what is this exactly?" Lena asked quietly, scared of the answer but desperate to finally know where she stood with the superhero.

Blue eyes averted, but Lena continued to watch Kara as she looked down at their joined hands, seemingly considering her response. The silence that permeated the room made Lena even more aware of her heart pounding loudly against her ribcage, waiting for Kara's reply. After a moment, the reporter met Lena's eyes once more and simply shook her head.

"I- I don't really know," Kara answered honestly, and Lena could feel her hope dwindle that they could be together. But then Kara continued, and Lena could feel her hopes getting up again.

"What I do know is that I care about you and I would do anything to protect you. I know that when I'm not around you that you're all I think about and when I am with you I feel whole, as strange as that sounds. Maybe subconsciously I knew that you had figured out my secret, but I just always feel like you understand me like no one else can, like I'm more than just Supergirl or more than just a reporter."

Kara's eyes seemed to reflect every emotion Lena was feeling at the moment, fear, anxiety, hope. The blonde wasn't finished though and Lena listened, swallowing hard against the lump that had formed in her throat.

"I guess what I'm trying to say is that we should probably try to go on an actual date next time, so we can figure this out," Kara concluded with a teasing smile, and Lena couldn't have stopped the laugh that bubbled up in her chest even if she had wanted to.

"I like that plan," Lena agreed with faux-seriousness before her face split into a wide smile. She couldn't help it, Kara just seemed to bring out a side of her that she wasn't used to. A lightness that she hadn't felt since before she came to live with the Luthor's, filled her whenever she was in the Kryptonian's presence.

Noticing they were both due for a refill, Lena stood and released Kara's hand to pick up their wine glasses.

"More wine?" she asked, already halfway to the counter where she had left the bottle. Then she paused as the realization hit her.

"This has absolutely no effect on you, does it?" Lena asked, holding up the bottle. She had read up on Kryptonians and she couldn't believe she had forgotten that their bodies were able to metabolize the alcohol at such a rate as to not suffer- or enjoy- the affects at all.

Even from across the room Lena could see Kara's neck and ears turn a shade pink in embarrassment but assured her, "It tastes good though."

Lena laughed at the sweet response. It was obvious Kara was too kind to say the wine didn't do a thing for her.

"Care to have this one on the balcony?" Lena offered, yanking the cork out of the bottle and filling their glasses.

"Sure," Kara approved, standing from the table and following Lena out onto the balcony.

Lena glanced sideways at the woman next to her. Kara really was beautiful. With her looking up at the night sky, her blonde hair down and falling in waves on her bare shoulders, it was easy to see the hero in the reporter she tried so hard to keep hidden.

* * *

 _Kara had hand delivered the latest issue of CatCo magazine to her office. She had walked in and held the cover up between both her hands, partially obscuring her face but Lena still could see the smile in her eyes. Unable to prevent herself from smiling back, Lena saw her own face reflected on the magazine and she took it from the reporter gratefully._

 _Lena found her usual spot on the couch and Kara followed suit, waiting patiently as Lena read the article. When she had finished, Lena lowered the magazine and turned to look at the blonde beside her, a wide smile on her face as she complimented,_

" _It's a good article. You flatter me."_

 _Lena was having a hard time looking Kara in the eye, so she put the magazine on the table as an excuse to avoid those piercing blue eyes._

 _"I only wrote the truth," Kara insisted, Lena could see out of the corner of her eye the woman holding her right hand up as if swearing in to testify. But Kara continued,_

 _"I'm learning to keep digging even when all the evidence points one way."_

 _This brought a smile to her face. She still couldn't believe that Kara had kept searching for proof of her innocence long after everyone had given up her. She had watched the video and even she couldn't deny that she looked guilty as sin. But even when confronted with what was right in front of her own eyes, Kara refused to believe Lena was capable of stealing the Kryptonite. Kara had proved her mother wrong. There was one person who refused to believe that not all Luthors were corrupt. Such unwavering faith in her made Lena fill with affection for the reporter. She saved her life as Supergirl and then her reputation as Kara Danvers. What had she done to deserve someone like Kara in her life?_

 _Sensing that the reporter was looking away as she said this, Lena took the opportunity to turn her eyes back to Kara, watching her as she spoke._

 _"There's always another side," Kara concluded, finally looking back at her._

 _"Even when it's hard to find," Lena added, thinking more along the lines of Kara's many sides._

 _"Especially when it's hard to find," Kara agreed. After a moment, Lena heard her release a heavy sigh._

 _"So, my office is overflowing with flowers…," Kara's voice seemed to leave her sentence hanging, as if Lena could fill in the answer._

 _"Really?" Lena replied, and Kara countered with a, 'yeah' as Lena tried to appear surprised but failed miserably. She had indeed sent the flowers, plumerias, actually, because she had remembered Kara mentioning how beautiful the ones in her office were previously._

 _The blonde's mouth stretched into a wide grin and she laughed to herself before continuing,_

 _"Yeah… you didn't have to do that."_

 _Lena finally found the courage to look up and hold Kara's gaze, a warmth spreading through her chest._

 _"Yeah, I did…," Lena contradicted before explaining, making sure to continue to play into Kara's secret, "Supergirl told me it was you who sent her."_

 _At that Kara looked away. It was little actions like that one that just proved her theory that Kara was in fact Supergirl._

 _"I don't know how to thank you," she ended, her voice quiet in the empty office as she watched the woman beside her. Kara eyes seemed to be looking down, unable or unwilling to hold her gaze, her blonde tresses, partially pulled back away from her face._

 _The superhero seemed to become a little uncomfortable and flippantly replied,_

 _"Well, that's what friends are for."_

 _Lena had known for some time that 'friend' wasn't going to be an adequate description of what she was beginning to feel for Kara. So, she shook her head slightly, having difficulty putting into words what she was feeling. Even if Kara only wanted to be friends, Lena felt it was important to make sure Kara knew exactly what she meant to her. So, she held her gaze steady on Kara and spoke truthfully,_

 _"I've never had friends like you before. Come to think of it, I've never had family like you."_

 _She wasn't sure why she was saying all of this but how did you thank someone who had literally saved your life multiple times. But what she said was true: she had no friends in National City and the ones back in Metropolis would never have done anything like this for her and there was no one in her family that would ever go out of their way to help her, risk their own careers and lives for her._

 _With this in mind, Lena needed Kara to know just how important to her she was,_

 _"No one's ever stood up for me like that."_

 _"Well, now you have someone who will stand up for you… always," Kara assured her._

 _If Lena wasn't mistaken, it seemed as though the hero's voice had lowered an octave. She couldn't quite read her expression but there was something there Lena was definitely missing. But she couldn't pick it apart right now, so instead she opted for humor._

 _"Well, Supergirl may have saved me but… Kara Danvers,_ you _are my hero," she had meant it to sound sarcastic, but she could feel the itch of tears, so she was relieved when Kara burst into laughter, Lena following suit to cover how close her real emotions had come to spilling out._

 _Lena knew Kara was only stopping by to drop off the magazine, but she was still disappointed when the blonde stood. She quickly followed suit but even if she wasn't ready to completely let her guard down around the superhero, she felt the undeniable urge to be closer to the other woman._

 _So, Lena held her hand out in an offering, giving Kara the opportunity to decline the gesture, but she didn't. The Kryptonian stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Lena's torso, the familiar spark shot through her at Kara's touch except it was magnified tenfold. Their upper bodies were pressed together, and Lena felt hyper-aware of all of it, from the way one hand rested on her mid-back, the other lightly gripping her shoulder down to the way Kara's warm cheek pressed against her neck, her blonde hair tickling her face._

 _"Thank you," she spoke, trying to control her voice to hide the flurry going on inside her._

 _"Any time," came Kara's promise and Lena believed her._

 _And then it was over. Kara released her and gave her a short, "Bye," which Lena returned. Her eyes followed the reporter as she left the office, wishing above anything she could say something more to get the woman to stay, but it wasn't to be._

 _So, Lena sat back down on her couch, alone in the office once more. Everything around her felt cold again when compared to the warmth that Kara always brought with her wherever she went._

 _Her eyes fell on her chess set, which was a Luthor family heirloom from who knew how long back. Studying the board, she picked up the white knight, her thoughts still with the superhero before they shifted to memories of her and Lex playing chess, Lillian watching. She remembered how she had beaten Lex and Lillian making the snide remark of her being, 'a Luthor, after all.'_

 _Memories of her family were always painful, but it seemed like her mother just wouldn't get out of her life. She had escaped after Metallo essentially exploded, from what she had heard, and was no where to be found. But Lena was sure she would turn up and Lena knew they'd fall right back into this pattern of deception and manipulation, but this time Lena knew Supergirl was on her side._

* * *

The rage at her mother for hurting Kara had been dampened somewhat by the reporter's unwavering faith in her innocence. Kara had stood up to her friends to defend her trustworthiness and make sure that Lena's reputation wasn't tarnished any further than it already had been with that incriminating video.

Kara seemed oblivious to her musings as she sipped her wine, her forearms resting on the metal railing of the balcony. Her blonde hair was down and rustling in the light wind and Lena's fingers itched to run through it but instead she gripped her glass a little tighter.

The city was illuminated with a million lights from a million windows, and Kara's eyes seemed to reflect them all. A thought occurred to Lena at that moment, so she asked,

"Does living in a city ever bother you? All the noises and all?"

Kara tilted her head slightly to gaze over at Lena, a thoughtful smile curving her pink lips. Lena wondered if she got asked questions like that often, but curiosity had gotten the better of her. Obviously the Luthors never allowed her to fraternize with aliens of any kind, so all knowledge she had of alien races came from books and scholarly articles.

"Not really. I mean, it did at first. The Danvers' raised me in Midvale which is a lot slower and quieter than National City. But even that was a huge adjustment from Krypton where I had no abilities. I just learned over time how to tune everything out and focus in on what's important," Kara responded thoughtfully.

There was so much Lena didn't know about Kara and her life. She couldn't even fathom what it must be like to be a refugee from a planet that was destroyed and then arrive on a planet where you had to relearn how your entire body worked.

Lena wanted to know everything there was to know about Kara Danvers, but she knew that Kara might not be ready to share her entire story tonight. But she couldn't deny her curiosity, so she set her empty wine glass on a little table she had out there before folding her arms and leaning back against the railing.

"What's important to Supergirl?"

Kara regarded her for a moment before setting her glass down as well and leaning forward against the railing. There was a slight gap between them but Lena could practically feel the warmth radiating from Kara.

"My friends, family… you," Kara said this with a hint of shyness, looking away from Lena again to stare up at the night sky.

"You listen to me?" to say Lena was flattered might have been an understatement.

"Just your heartbeat and only if I have reason to think you're in danger. I would never just listen in, you know, whenever. That'd be creepy," the hero explained quickly, and Lena could tell that she was afraid she had overstepped some invisible boundary and invaded her privacy somehow.

A wave of affection flooded Lena at the other woman's admission though. Kara truly was amazing. Only she would be worried about listening to Lena's heartbeat without her permission.

Lena shifted so she more fully faced the blonde, and Kara seemed to sense her movement because she turned her attention back to her. Lena couldn't help but ask,

"Can you hear my heart now?"

Kara's sapphire eyes snapped to hers, a questioning look creasing her brow and all but erasing the little scar there. Lena couldn't tell if she was focused on listening or confused about why Lena would ask such a thing.

She knew her heart was racing but she didn't care. Lena wanted Kara to hear how her body reacted whenever she was nearby.

Pushing herself off the railing, Kara took one step towards Lena, her eyes becoming clouded with something Lena couldn't discern so she prompted,

"How about now?"

Considering her heart felt like it was pounding out of her chest, Lena was certain anyone could hear it at this point. Kara's nearness had another affect, Lena was also having trouble regulating her breathing.

Without a word, Kara closed the distance between them and Lena swore her heart might explode with the way those blue eyes were staring her down. She was a little taken off guard when she felt Kara's hand left hand slip into her right one.

The Kryptonian lifted her hand to her chest, above her own heart. Her fingers grazed Kara's collar bone and she tried to quiet her own mind. It didn't take long for Lena to identify the rapid thumping of Kara's heart under her impenetrable skin.

They were so close. Kara was only a few inches taller than her, a negligible distance for her to just tilt her face upwards and capture her lips. But they hadn't really talked about their earlier kiss. Was this okay?

Kara's other hand came to rest on her jaw line, the tips of her fingers grazing Lena's neck and it set her skin on fire. The feeling was so intense that Lena's eyes slid closed, basking in the feeling of the other woman's touch.

"Can I kiss you?" it was Kara who asked this, and Lena allowed her eyes to slide open. She saw Kara hovering mere inches from her lips. Those blue eyes seemed to be searching hers for any hint of rejection, but she would find none from Lena, who answered the question with her lips.

She leaned into Kara, sliding the hand that had been on her chest down to snake around her narrow waist, pulling the reporter as close to her as she possibly could.

Kara responded immediately, her lips moving against Lena's, the hand not on Lena's cheek coming to rest on the small of her back, pressing into her.

And then it was over.

Kara pulled back, leaving her hand resting on Lena's cheek, and Lena kept her eyes closed, hoping she could keep this moment just a little longer. Eventually, she knew she'd have to face reality again but when she opened her eyes, reality was even better. Kara's sapphire eyes met hers, a small smile on her lips which Lena couldn't help but mirror.

"I should probably get going….," Kara's words seemed tainted with reluctance and Lena didn't really want the beautiful woman to leave either. They both had to work in the morning and it was getting late, and yet Lena would quit her job and sell L Corp if it meant she was allowed another hour with Kara.

"Would it be okay if I came to your office tomorrow night? I could take you on an actual date," Kara offered, and Lena felt like those piercing eyes were searching hers, for what she wasn't sure.

Relief flooded Lena at her words though. Kara had been serious about giving whatever this was between them a shot and Lena was right there with her.

"I'd love that, but nothing too fancy. I can't get dressed up this nice two nights in a row," Lena joked, attempting to diffuse some of the tension that had built up. Kara lowered her head with a laugh, smiling sheepishly back up at her a second later as she agreed,

"Deal."

Kara's hands slid away from her and she turned to head towards the door leading back into the apartment, but Lena suggested, "Everyone has gone home for the night if you want to use the balcony to…." Lena gestured towards the sky before continuing, "… you know."

It was still hard to wrap around her brain around the fact that Kara could fly, and she had an even harder time verbalizing something so incredible.

"Oh, yea," Kara hadn't seemed to think of this new development, glancing around as if checking for witnesses, before glancing back at Lena. Wordlessly, Lena stepped back into inside just long enough to collect Kara's glasses and come back out to the balcony.

"I know this wasn't really the date you were expecting-," Kara began but Lena quickly cut her off.

"It was perfect," she insisted with a warm smile. She lifted the glasses to Kara's face, carefully slipping them onto her face, adjusting them so they sat securely on her perfect face. A grin stretched across the Kryptonian's face and she took a step away from Lena preparing to leave.

"Good night, Lena," Kara's voice was quiet, full of some untold emotion. It gave Lena a shiver of pleasure to hear her name on Kara's lips and she ached to kiss those lips again but Kara had already turned to leave.

"Night" Lena replied, watching the superhero launch herself into the air a second later, quickly disappearing into the darkness.

* * *

 **A/N: Here it is! I forgot to mention that the last chapter was titled after The Lumineers' White Lie and this chapter is Salvation by LP. I really hope you guys like this because things are about to get serious here soon! There'll still be plenty of fluff but expect the plot to thicken in the next chapter or two. As always, thank you guys so much for reading and sticking with this story. Please let me know how I'm doing by reviewing!**


	10. Dark Come Soon

_Disclaimer: I do not own or profit from Supergirl or its plots or characters._

 **Chapter 10: Dark Come Soon**

* * *

Most of the time Kara just flew to get from one place to another, giving it no thought, but not tonight. Lena Luthor had kissed her tonight so everything was different. It was as if the world looked a little different; Kara was aware of every subtle sensation from the way her heart pounded in her chest to the cool breeze blowing her hair back as she flew.

Confident that she was high enough above the skyscrapers, Kara allowed her eyelids to slide closed as she replayed the way Lena's lips felt against her own, soft and warm. Her skin still felt like it was on fire where Lena's hands had touched her and electricity seemed to still buzz through her entire body.

So lost in her reverie that she almost flew past her apartment building, but caught herself just in time, descending quickly. Kara landed gracefully on her fire escape, lifting the window open and letting herself in.

"How'd your date go, Baby Danvers?"

She hadn't been paying attention and the voice caught her off guard. She bumped her head on the window frame, shattering the glass with a loud crash that the entire block had to have heard. It didn't hurt obviously but that would be like the fifth time just this year she's had to replace that window for her clumsiness. A groan of annoyance escaped her and she stared at the sky as if asking Rao how she was going to afford to replace it again on her reporter salary.

Gathering herself, she finished stepping through the window and Kara stood fully and took in the scene in her living room. She saw Maggie sitting on her couch, watching her TV, eating her popcorn, smirking at her. Maggie was doing her best to hide a snort of laughter behind the bowl of popcorn as she watched Kara survey the damage. A second later Alex was running into the room, gun drawn until she laid eyes on Kara.

"Oh, it's just you. I thought someone was breaking in," her sister shrugged her shoulders and put the safety back on the gun before setting it on the coffee table, flopping down next to her fiancée on the couch.

Kara sighed heavily, the adrenaline from the surprise of them both being in her apartment this late starting to wear off and sleepiness setting in. She crouched down and began picking up pieces of glass with her bare hands and tossing them in the garbage, muttering to herself, "I could say the same about you two."

"So, how was your date?" Alex called from the couch, her mouth full of popcorn already, unconcerned with the mess apparently because this had become so commonplace.

"Well, we never made it out of her apartment," Kara replied, brushing her hair out of her face as she strode over to them. This was immediately followed by Alex's incredulous shout,

"WHAT?!"

"OOOH DAMN, Baby Danvers! Get it!" Maggie exclaimed, obviously impressed as she set down the bowl of her popcorn and scooted to the edge of the couch to hear every juicy detail.

Their strong reactions startled her a little and it took Kara a second to realize what they had thought she had insinuated with her words. She could feel her face burn with embarrassment as her brain immediately imagined her and Lena-

"NO! No! That's not what I meant! We didn't- we just…no. Just no," Kara finished lamely, unable to formulate a coherent sentence to refute their accusations. This wasn't good enough for the two of them, their expectant eyes boring holes into her.

"I knew that dress was gonna make Lena want to-," Alex began smugly to Maggie, but Kara wasn't about to let her finish that sentence.

"NO! I said, 'NO,'" Kara practically shouted to be heard over them discussing her love life. Her eyes slid closed briefly while she took a calming breath then looked back at them before making her way over to the trash can with the shards of her window, her Kryptonian skin unharmed by the sharp glass.

She had to set the record straight or they'd never leave her alone so she finally found her words, "I told her I was Supergirl…."

The two women seemed to finally sense her seriousness and Alex adjusted to see her better, hooking her arm over the back of the sofa.

"What did she say?" she asked with barely concealed apprehension in her voice. Kara sighed heavily and dumped the glass before looking over at her sister.

"She knew," Kara told her simply, even though the conversation she and Lena had had was anything but simple afterwards.

"What do you mean, 'she knew'?" Alex asked, her tone dipping slightly. She could see Alex going into protective older sister mode. Even though Alex had come around to the belief that Lena was nothing like her family, the suspicion of Luthors was a hard habit to break.

By this point, both women were sitting on their knees on the sofa and their torsos hanging over the back so they could more fully face her. Kara sighed, something she was doing a lot tonight. She desperately needed sleep and she wanted to dream about Lena but these two weren't having it. So, Kara came around to sit on the arm of the couch, both of them adjusting to keep their eyes locked on her. Kara took a breath and spoke,

"She just kind of figured it out… I shouldn't have been so surprised… someone so smart."

Alex and Maggie weren't satisfied with this answer, but that's all Kara was willing to give them right now. She had a lot to process and she would tell all to her sister in time, but right now all she wanted was to sleep.

Luckily, her sister seemed to get the hint because she nudged Maggie who said a little too loudly,"It's getting late, we should go."

They both stood and turned to leave, but as Alex passed her she placed a comforting hand on Kara's shoulder.

"See you at the DEO tomorrow?"

Kara looked up gratefully at her sister, smiling tiredly as she nodded her confirmation. Supergirl had been on unofficial leave from work at the DEO since Mon-El's departure, so to hear that Alex felt she was ready to return made Kara feel she really understood her feelings for Lena.

With a playful punch to her shoulder and a, 'see ya, Baby Danvers,' from Maggie, she and Alex left Kara alone in her apartment. Using the last of her energy, she used her super speed to tape up the window, put on her pajamas, and launch herself into the warm, inviting confines of her bed.

Sure enough, as soon as her head hit the pillow, memories of Lena permeated her dreams, but not of her kiss.

* * *

 _Kara was pissed._

 _What was she supposed to do if Snapper wasn't going to publish her article? More and more aliens were going to be kidnapped and who knew what Cadmus was doing to them at this very moment. All she could think about was how Lillian had tortured her for her blood, forcing her to drain her powers so she could make the Medusa virus. What other horrors was she inflicting on innocent aliens? Or were they just being exterminated?_

 _She was reviewing her notes over and over to come up with something so that would make Snapper see that this story was worth publishing. In her rush and frustration, she almost walked into someone. Out of the corner of her eye she saw a flash of red, and she used her powers to stop short or else risk toppling the person. One of the many downsides to having super strength was that even the slightest of bumps could hurt a human._

" _Excuse me," she apologized quietly, looking up as the person turned, and she was sure her heart stopped for a moment._

 _"Lena?!"_

 _"She said with surprise in her voice for some reason," the brunette didn't sound accusatory just seemingly like she was waiting for Kara to remember something._

 _It didn't take long._

 _Kara's eyes slid closed as she realized why Lena was there. Guilt shot through her as she remembered… they had made plans to go out to lunch. How could she have forgotten? She had been so excited when the CEO suggested it because it was the first time they were going to hang out outside of either of their jobs._

 _"Ooooh, my god, we were going to try out that new fermentation place! I totally forgot," Kara groaned, hoping that the CEO wasn't mad at her. She had just been so caught up in concern for the abducted aliens and being unable to publish her story to warn the others that everything had just taken a back burner in her mind temporarily._ _"I'm so sorry, there's just so much going on," she apologized, having difficulty meeting Lena's gaze but she could feel the brunette watching her intently._

 _When Kara was finished she was finally able to chance a glance her way only to see Lena smiling, assuring Kara, "That's okay. No need to explain. Kombucha can wait." Kara sighed and dropped her head with relief causing Lena to ask with worry in her voice, "Is everything okay?"_

 _She didn't need super powers to see the concern in her emerald eyes which seemed brighter than usual today, reflecting all the natural light from the large windows in the office. Lena really was beautiful in her long red woolen jacket, black dress, and bright red lipstick with her raven hair pulled sleekly back into an elegant bun._

 _Lena was being so gracious about her forgetfulness that it made Kara feel worse somehow. Kara felt privileged by the fact that the busy CEO had made time to go to lunch with her, so the guilt wracked her that she had wasted Lena's precious time. Then, not only was Lena not upset with her, but she was worried about her well-being and it made her stomach do funny things._

 _"Ugh, no. Snapper refused to publish my article , my article on Cadmus," she began to reply, only realizing halfway through her sentence that she was again dredging up Lena's family by referencing Cadmus, but it was too late to stop, so she finished, "He says I need more sources."_

 _The change in Lena was immediate. The smile, the look of concern, all of that was gone now, only to be replaced by icy stoicism as she asked flatly,"What did mother do now?"_

 _She didn't like the direction this exchange was going in now. She hated to constantly remind Lena of the horrifying things her mother was capable of, but she had a right to know. Kara couldn't stop thinking that if she had only remembered that they were meeting for lunch then they could have been reminiscing about some trivial show they were both watching right now, anything but this._

 _"Cadmus stole the alien registry. They're abducting everyone on the list," she revealed reluctantly, watching Lena's reaction. Kara could see the brunette's jaw visibly tighten, her eyes hardening as Kara explained, "My article was meant to warn everyone."_

 _Her gaze dropped to the floor, her voice cracking just a little at the end. It had been a lot harder to say that than she anticipated. Every time she thought about those aliens, families just trying to make a life for themselves on this planet, Kara's heart ached knowing that Cadmus could be doing any number of things to them right now. And most of those aliens didn't have abilities like hers so they were no match for Lillian's cruel tactics._

 _After a moment, she lifted her eyes to look at the woman in front of her, only to see the coldness in Lena's eyes softening as she looked right back at her. Then Lena shifted her face away briefly, apparently considering something before turning back to look at Kara._

 _"Well, something that important… if Snapper won't let you publish it at CatCo, maybe be a citizen journalist: post a blog, tweet the hell out of it. Imagine how many people you could reach instantly by just blogging about it," she suggested conspiratorially, and Kara thought it seemed as though the CEO was just as fired up about this whole thing as she was now. When it came to her family, Lena always seemed to take whatever they did personally and was determined to make it right in any way possible._

 _"Yeah, maybe you're right… although Snapper would crucify me," Kara replied exaggeratedly, considering Lena's suggestion seriously though. It really wasn't a bad idea, but it certainly would get her into a lot of trouble. Yet, as in one of her favorite quotes, 'women who behave rarely make history.'_

 _Then Lena was looking at her; her head tilted slightly to the side, clear eyes seemed to see right through her, as if she was the one with x-ray vision. Kara needed a distraction and quick or she was going to get lost in those eyes._

 _'You're with Mon-El now, why are thinking about Lena this way?' her inner voice chastised her, but she brushed it off as another thought occurred to her, this one she spoke aloud._

 _"In the meantime, there's something you could help me with. Does L Corp have any technology that we could use to find missing aliens?" she asked hopefully with Lena still looking at her like that, as if Kara was saying the most interesting thing she'd ever heard._

 _"I can look into it," Lena agreed quickly, but then a smile slowly curled her lips, making Kara's stomach flutter, and she continued, "Or maybe I can do one better. When Lex ran the company, mother was on the board, maybe she left something behind, a trail of bread crumbs. Could be your second source."_

 _Excitement bubbled up inside her at the idea of them working together to take down Cadmus and save the aliens. How anyone doubted Lena's motives was a mystery; she tried so hard to do good, why couldn't anyone else see that?_

 _"Thank you," Kara realized she was biting her lip as she smiled broadly at the CEO. She couldn't help it. Lena was still looking at her like that, her red lips seeming more noticeable than usual._

 _"What are friends for?" Lena shot back with a flirtatious smile, at least that's how it seemed to her. The word 'friends,' she was having trouble with though, something about it just wasn't sitting right. Kara had to avert her eyes because she couldn't stop staring at those full lips and bright eyes. She was actually relieved when Lena left because there was no telling what her rebellious mind would do the longer she was here at CatCo._

* * *

'Friends.'

That word would never be able to encompass the feelings Kara had for Lena and yet they used it to describe each other quite a bit. At least they did before last night. What word would they use now?

"Kara!"

Her head snapped up at the sound of someone yelling her name. Greeting her eyes was the unwelcome sight of Snapper, hands on his hips, a look of deep displeasure creasing every wrinkle on his face. Kara straightened herself up at her desk and strained her brain to figure out what he had just asked her, but she had no idea.

Her thoughts had been completely taken up by memories of kissing Lena Luthor last night. The feeling of those lithe fingers on her bare skin was making her blush just thinking about it.

"Where is your piece on the Alien Marriage Equality Act?" he snarled; what little patience he had was obviously waning every second he stood there without an answer.

"Uh- it's- uh," Kara stumbled over her words trying to come up with a coherent response without outright lying. The truth of it was that the article was open on her computer, half-written. How could she focus on it when Lena Luthor's lips had been pressed against hers less than 24 hours ago?

"Unless you want to be relegated to the advice column, I'd suggest you get that submitted in the next hour," he barked at her. Not waiting for a response or Kara's excuse, he stomped away, off to harass someone else probably.

Sighing in frustration, Kara tried to subtly scope out the office, looking and listening for anyone who may be nearby, but the coast seemed clear. She tried to not use her powers unless absolutely necessary but if she wanted to get back to day dreaming about Lena's perfect smile, then this was what she had to do.

Confident no one would notice, Kara used her super speed to type the article in mere seconds. It probably wasn't the most well-constructed article she had ever put together, but she knew they were in too much of a rush to get the magazine out in time to care about her little political story.

Just as she had emailed the story to James and Snapper and her mind was going back to memories of last night, she heard the tell-tale buzz of her phone in her purse.

She dug around for it for a minute before locating the offending device and glancing down at the screen. It was a text from Lena that read, "Are we still on for tonight?"

Kara's heartrate doubled just seeing the woman's name on her phone, much less knowing she was inquiring into their date, an actual date this time hopefully. Not wasting another second, Kara typed the hasty reply, "Definitely! When's a good time for me to come by L Corp?"

She waited a minute, holding her breath in anticpation just texting with the CEO. Kara still couldn't believe that everything was out in the open now. It was surreal to think that in a matter of minutes her whole world had changed. Lena knew she was Supergirl and had known for a while apparently.

She should have known that someone as intelligent as Lena Luthor would have figured her secret out. But what struck Kara was that, instead of confronting her, Lena had waited and allowed Kara to 'come out' as Supergirl when she was ready. Whatever she had felt for Lena before that realization had multiplied exponentially afterwards. On top of that, Lena felt something beyond friendship for her too.

The phone buzzed again, "I have meetings until 4. Any time after that or during… I might need saving to keep me from going mad of boredom."

Kara laughed to herself and replied, "Haha only if you can save me from Snapper... I'll head over there when I get off at 5… I can't wait to see you."

Her thumb hovered over the send button, considering whether that last bit was too much. It was the truth. Sitting here at work and not near Lena, was a slow, excruciating agony when all she could think about was wrapping her arms around the brunette.

She hit send.

Kara stared down at her screen, her heart pounding in her chest, unable to breath as she waited in anticipation of Lena's reply. She didn't have to wait long before the text appeared with a, 'ding.'

"I can't wait to see you either. I can hardly get any work done, thinking about last night," came Lena's response and Kara's pulse picked up significantly.

Lena felt the same way. She had to keep reminding herself of that.

"Me too! See you soon," Kara replied, a smile plastered to her face.

* * *

 _Kara couldn't believe she had just done that. Now that article was out there for the whole world. A story that Snapper had outright ordered her not to publish, but she knew this was the right thing to do. She had to warn the aliens of National City because she couldn't bear it if one more alien was abducted, and she could have done something to prevent it._

 _Mon-El had said something about getting food but the sound of her phone ringing pulled her attention away from him. Lena Luthor's name appeared on her screen and a rush of excitement filled her, as was becoming the norm whenever the CEO called._

 _Picking up the device and accepting the call with a swipe of her thumb, Kara brought the phone to her face and greeted, "Lena?"_

 _"I found something: activity at a facility that's supposedly defunct," the CEO's voice sounded a little rushed coming through her earpiece but also a little distracted as she continued, "It's big enough to build almost anything, or to hide something."_

 _Then all a sudden there was the buzz of electricity and a loud crash._

 _Instantly, Kara knew something was wrong. Her blood turned cold and it felt as though it had frozen in her veins, stopping her heart._

 _"Lena?!" she could hear the pitch of her own voice increase in anxiousness. Kara needed to hear her voice, but when she did she immediately regretted her wish._

 _"Stay back!"_

 _The words sounded far away but there was no mistaking the fear in the CEO's normally calm, even tone. It was getting hard to breath, but Kara didn't want to jump to conclusions or panic, but something definitely was very wrong._

 _"Lena? Lena?" she repeated a few more times, desperate for Lena to pick up the phone and tell her everything was all right, but she knew it wasn't._

 _Without another word or explanation to Mon-El, Kara used her super speed to change into her Supergirl suit in the blink of an eye and fly towards L Corp faster than even she thought possible. With her super hearing, she could hear Lena's scream, a gut-wrenching sound that made her previously stopped heart pound with adrenaline. Just ahead she caught sight of a figure falling._

 _It was Lena._

 _Kara pushed herself to fly even faster, closing in as Lena fell further and further towards the unforgiving pavement._

 _Mere feet from the ground, Kara slipped one hand around Lena's back, the other under her legs. Even in her speed, Kara was careful to not hurt Lena by allowing a little give in her arms to cushion the fall._

 _For only a second Kara floated there in mid-air, holding Lena bridal-style, giving her breathing a chance to even and using her x-ray vision to check the woman for injuries. Lena's arms had found their way around her neck, gripping her shoulder and Kara tried to ignore the way it was making her feel to have Lena this close to her. Satisfied that the brunette was unharmed, Kara propelled herself upwards back to the very balcony Lena had just fallen from._

 _The CEO seemed to be handling falling from a skyscraper rather well, in Kara's opinion. She was hyper-aware of the other woman's elevated heart rate and rapid breathing, but she hadn't fainted or thrown up or anything; both of which had happened to people Kara had saved in the past._

 _When she arrived back at the topmost balcony, she saw the two men gape open-mouthed up at her, seemingly dumb-founded. She contained her rage the best she could as she stared down at them._

 _"Drop something?" she asked rhetorically before using her super breath to knock them out cold, before alighting on the balcony._

 _As much as she loathed to do it, she set Lena gently down on the ground and almost instantly the question came from the woman, "How did you know?"_

 _She hated lying to Lena but, but she had to do it. Thinking of the first excuse that came to mind, she told her,"I was getting coffee with Kara Danvers when you called."_

 _"Well, that's lucky," Lena replied, her breathing still irregular, adrenaline coursing through her veins as well at her near-death experience. But she didn't stop there,"I'm glad you're here. I have something you'll both want to know. Cadmus and the missing aliens… I know where they are."_

* * *

As she flew to L Corp, Kara could remember the feeling of absolute terror she had felt watching Lena fall from her balcony. She was sure she would have given Barry Allen a run for his money with the speed at which she flew.

Her mind wouldn't allow her to just let it go. All she could think of was that moment; the feeling of Lena Luthor in her arms. But something darker permeated her mind: images of what could have happened if she hadn't gotten there in time.

A heart-wrenching pain shot through her at the mere thought of losing Lena. That was the first time she had really considered what life would be like without the other woman, and that was not something Kara ever wanted to think about. Kara shoved these thoughts away and reminded herself that Lena was okay and she was going to see her in just a few minutes.

Today, Kara had considered flying directly up to the topmost balcony now that Lena knew her identity, but L Corp had too many employees; too many people who would ask questions if Kara Danvers never walked into the building but somehow walked out. So, she opted for her go-to strategy of finding an alley to land in, changing quickly, and walking inconspicuously through the front doors as Kara Danvers.

It was really nice to be allowed in so quickly these days; in less than five minutes she was outside of Lena's office, heart pounding and palms sweating in anticipation. She tentatively knocked, waiting for Lena's, 'come in,' before opening the double doors.

Peeking her head in to make sure it really was okay for her to enter, Kara laid eyes on the gorgeous brunette sitting at her desk. A broad grin stretched across Lena's features as Kara stepped more fully into the space, and the CEO immediately stood to greet her.

Kara couldn't help but stare; Lena was absolutely beautiful. Her raven hair was pulled back, as was her norm when she was at work, and she wore a navy blue sleeveless V-neck blouse that exposed her fair skin paired with a black pencil skirt that hugged the curve of her hips. All of this was impossible not to notice and completely distracting, so much so that she almost didn't realize Lena had crossed the room towards her and was now within arm's reach.

She was only peripherally aware that her own lips had curled into a content smile. It was still hard to believe that this was real, but the feeling of her heart pounding against her ribcage certainly felt real. Then, Lena closed the distance and slipped her arms around her waist and there was the tangible proof. Her arms responded in kind, snaking around the brunette's back and pulling her even closer.

Like a magnet, Kara felt as though her lips were being pulled to Lena's until they brushed gently. As hungry as she was to taste even more of Lena's intoxicating lips, she restrained herself, her arms loose around Lena in case she needed space or wanted to retreat. But Lena didn't apparently, the opposite actually, she tightened her hold on her with one arm while the other slid up behind her neck, pulling Kara even closer, if that was possible, and deepening the kiss, taking it from a mere brushing of lips to an eager kiss.

The feeling of Lena's lithe fingers entangled in her hair caused a pleasurable shiver up her spine. A heat was spreading from everywhere Lena's skin touched hers, spreading and warming her entire body.

Lena was the one to pull away this time, but just slightly, their arms stayed wrapped around one another. Their eyes slid open almost simultaneously as did their lips curl into smiles. Then Lena broke the silence, her voice slightly husky,"I missed you."

That heat seemed to find it's way to Kara's face at Lena's admission. She hadn't realized how badly she wanted the CEO to say those words to her until she heard them.

"I missed you too," she echoed, but there was something else that was on the tip of her tongue. Kara lowered her face, debating with herself if she should just be honest or not but Lena was too perceptive.

"Hey, is everything okay?" she asked, the timber of her voice lowering just slightly with concern.

Raising her gaze once more, Kara met those emerald eyes directly, searching those depths for something. They were so close that Kara could almost see her reflection in their clear depths. It was easy to see that Lena genuinely wanted to make sure there wasn't anything wrong. So, she chose to speak up.

"I just- I thought maybe- maybe you'd wake up this morning and you would… regret last night."

'Or it was all just a dream,' she thought the second part to herself, anxiously awaiting Lena's response.

Lena's brow seemed to furrow in response and for a brief second, Kara had no idea what she was thinking. But she felt the hand that rested on the nape of her neck drift to her cheek, cradling it softly. Kara was so caught up in the feeling of Lena's thumb gently stroking the skin there that she didn't anticipate the woman leaning in and pressing her lips to hers again. This time it was a soft kiss full of reassurance.

It was a short and sweet kiss that was over too soon because once again, Lena pulled away, those green eyes now seemed to be searching hers.

"I would never regret any part of last night, Kara," Lena told her firmly, "I'm honored that you felt safe enough with me to tell me your secret. And I've wanted to tell you exactly how much I want to be with you for a while now, but I just never thought you were interested in being anything more than friends."

It was Kara's turn to look confused. How could Lena ever think she wasn't interested? And then Mon-El floated to the surface of her mind and a stab of guilt shot through her again. But less than before.

"Well, I'm definitely interested," Kara told her with a flirty smile, eliciting a small laugh from Lena which significantly lightened the mood. The CEO released her then and went over to the coat rack, picking up her long black, wool coat and purse before turning to look back over her shoulder at Kara, teasingly asking,

"Good. Now, are you taking me on a date this time or not?"

* * *

 **A/N: Thanks to the folks who have stuck with this story! I know with the new season it has become less relevant but my goal is to take this story into season 3, rewriting the Supercorp interactions to fit in with the story (and keep Lena far, far away from James...ew, just ew). Please review and let me know how I'm doing it! Oh, and this chapter is named after 'Dark Come Soon' by Tegan and Sara. And again, thank you all so much for reading!**


	11. I Won't be Left

_Disclaimer: I do not own or profit from Supergirl or its plots or characters._

 **Chapter 11: I Won't be Left**

* * *

The National City Diner. Lena couldn't keep the smile from her face as they arrived at their destination and she looked up at the neon sign. She had told Kara nothing fancy, after all, and comfort food was exactly what she needed after a long, stressful week full of nonstop meetings and budget reports.

They had taken the Metro, something Lena wasn't used to, but it had still been a bit of a walk. Lena's feet were going to be hurting like hell tomorrow from the high-heeled shoes she had chosen to wear, but it was going to be well worth it. Plus, the playful banter she shared with Kara along the way made it go by quickly and the hero's presence always made her feel so light, making her forget all of her physical ailments.

Lena had been out to eat with Kara many times, but this was different. Kara was taking her on a date. They were dating. This week had certainly been an emotional rollercoaster with everything that had transpired between her and Kara. But tonight, would be the start of something.

Excitement bubbled through her at the very idea and she couldn't wait to see where this was going to take them. Lena knew what she wanted. She wanted to spend every waking minute with the Kryptonian, and every sleeping minute as well for that matter.

Her facial expression must not have accurately reflected how she was feeling because Kara's voice piped up from beside her, uncertain.

"Is this okay? We can go somewhere different if you want. I know it's not very fancy-," Kara seemed to be preparing to go off on a nervous tangent, but Lena stopped her. She slid her hand into Kara's, interlacing their fingers, and gave it a reassuring squeeze. A broad grin of pure happiness spread across her lips at the feeling of Kara's palm pressed into hers, making her feel secure and grounded.

"This is perfect," she told her firmly, turning to look back up at the large sign for the diner, following up with, "I can't say I've ever eaten here, but I've always wanted to… they say this place has the best milkshakes in National City."

Kara seemed relieved at her words, rewarding her with a pleased smile, perfect teeth gleaming behind pink lips, eyes sparkling with joy. Every time Kara looked at her like that it made Lena's heart flutter knowing she had been the cause of the other woman's happiness.

Without further ado, Kara gently tugged her hand forward, leading her towards the diner, only releasing her hand to hold the door open for her as they entered. That was a gesture that many men had done for Lena but something about Kara holding the door for her made her heart swell with affection. Kara didn't do it out of obligation or some antiquated gendered habit. Kara did it because she genuinely wanted to do something nice for her, because she cared about her.

Kara was different than anyone she had ever met, and not just because she was a seemingly invincible goddess. This woman embodied everything she never had in other relationships, to the point that she didn't know what she was missing until she got a taste of what it would be like to be with Kara.

The only other serious relationship she ever had was with Jack Spheer, and, while he was a genuinely good guy, he was no Kara. In fact, when coming face to face with him, Kara was the one she chose to be by her side, knowing that she would be there for her no matter what.

* * *

 _When Lena had gotten the invitation from her ex to attend this press conference, she knew there was only one person she wanted to go with. So, she grabbed her coat and had George drive her over to Kara's apartment. The idea of seeing the blonde woman again made her feel giddy for some reason, but she brushed it off._

 _Taking a breath, she lifted her fist to the door and gave it a loud wrap with her knuckles, before stepping back and clutching her purse in both hands to wait. Her mind kept chastising herself over and over for pulling Kara into this. Supergirl must have much more important things to do than help Lena face her ex. But maybe not._

" _Hey!" Kara greeted her with happy surprise. Lena sighed in relief that Kara was here and could feel her own smile spread across her face as the reporter pulled the door open wider so she could come in, "What brings you to the rent-controlled side of town?"_

 _She stepped into the space, noticing several things at once. One, Kara was holding an apron in one hand and two, there was the distinct acrid smell of something burning._

 _"Are you grief baking?" she asked the reporter in disbelief, throwing her an incredulous look over her shoulder. Kara couldn't quite meet her eyes and her shoulders were slumped dramatically as she responded too slowly,_

 _"No…."_

 _"Liar," she shot back, a teasing smile on her face and Kara gave up the charade immediately, her shoulders slumping dramatically. Making her way across the room, Lena sat herself down at Kara's kitchen island as if it were her own home. She watched the blonde woman approach, appreciating the fact that even the most modest of attire- today she wore a simple long-sleeved grey shirt tucked into black pants- Kara was still effortlessly beautiful._

 _"Being unemployed is not fun anymore," she told her glumly, making her way over to where Lena sat. Something must have occurred to the other woman because she turned serious, her voice full of concern as she asked, "Wait, is everything okay?"_

 _Behind those thick frames, Lena could see the crease of worry on the other woman's forehead as the piercing blue eyes studied her intently. The way Kara was looking at her made her feel several things at once. Lena felt warm and safe and nervous and guilty, all mixed together. She hadn't meant to worry the Kryptonian with her small problem, but she couldn't deny that Kara's concern for her was flattering and made her more than a little flustered._

 _"Yeah, no. Absolutely. Uh…," now it was Lena's turn to be completely unconvincing. She didn't want Kara to worry about her, so she chastised herself mentally for even coming here. And yet, she couldn't deny that having Kara with her would make her feel so much better, as always. Kara could detect her reluctance and gave her a look._

 _As she tried to control her restless hands, looking down at the table momentarily unable to meet those icy blue depths, Lena began, "So, today there is this press conference for Spheerical Industries' new unveiling. Whatever they announce is going to be the next big thing everyone wants."_

 _Lena brushed her hair out of her face to give her hands something to do while she spoke. It was still difficult to talk about Jack and everything that had happened between them, but Lena tried to keep her stoic demeanor, unsuccessfully._

 _"Are they your competition?" Kara asked, but Lena didn't look up to see her expression, afraid she wouldn't be able to continue if she met those eyes again._

 _"No, uhm, their CEO, Jack Spheer, and I…," Lena began finally forced herself to look into Kara's eyes as the woman sat across from her. She was no match for their piercing depths, so she revealed, "we used to be close."_

 _"Until when?" Kara asked, her eyebrows raised in surprise._

 _"Just before I moved to National City," Lena told her, almost afraid of Kara's reaction._

 _"Oh, I see. This is a recent closeness," Kara's demeanor had changed, Lena could sense it. She still had that bright, sunny manner and the same quirky awkwardness, but she was being a little weird. Kara still went on, "How long were you two together?"_

 _Memories of her time with Jack flooded her mind._

 _"Romantically, two years, but we had a start-up together for five," she revealed, almost missing the way Kara's eyes seemed to cloud over just a bit as she continued, "Worked out of a garage trying to find a cure for cancer. It was a lot of small explosions and good times."_

 _The memories of Jack were certainly happy ones because there was just something about the thrill of working with someone towards a common goal of helping people. He was one of the few people, like Kara, who never saw her as just another Luthor. These days it felt like she accomplished so little good in this world that it was hard not to be nostalgic._

 _Lena glanced up at Kara and couldn't help but notice her tight-lipped smile, but she trudged on, "He's given me a personal invite to this press conference."_

 _"Are you gonna go?" Kara asked almost immediately, that furrowed brow returning._

 _"Jack's my Kryptonite," Lena told her, tilting her head slightly to look at Kara from behind the partial curtain of hair while Kara pursed her lips. She hadn't really meant to make the reference to her knowing about Kara's identity but the Kryptonian's face seemed to reveal nothing, so Lena continued honestly, "It's just gonna bring up a lot of painful things and I'm not sure I can relive it."_

 _Kara seemed to get what she was hinting at and stood up from the kitchen island, saying, "But, if your good friend, Kara, came with you…"_

 _"And had my back…," Lena continued, a happy smile curling her lips as she picked up her purse._

 _"It wouldn't be so hard to face him," Kara finished their joint thought and Lena gave her a relieved, 'thank you,' as Kara picked up her jacket off the hook and threw it over her arm. As she reached for her own purse, Kara assured her,_

 _"I mean, it's so much better than grief baking, and I always have your back."_

 _Lena leaned against Kara's doorframe and watched the blonde woman as she gathered her things. She had no idea how she had gotten so lucky to have a friend like Kara. She had no doubts that Kara would always have her back. She had proven that time and time again._

 _"You're my favorite," she told Kara honestly, but trying to put a little humor in her voice. Kara grinned broadly at her statement as she opened the door for the superhero and Lena couldn't resist adding, "So, what's your Kryptonite?"_

 _Kara walked past her, deliberately not meeting her eyes stumbling with a response and Lena felt a little guilty, but not that guilty for toying with Supergirl's alter ego._

* * *

Kara led her down to one of the only vacant booths left and they both shed their jackets before sitting down. The diner was packed with all kinds of people, families, teenagers on dates, older men sipping coffee at the counter, and apparently a Luthor and a Super.

Her eyes were drawn back to the superhero across from her when she caught sight of Kara adjusting her glasses anxiously as was her habit. It was rather endearing, but she wanted the blonde to know that there was nothing to be nervous about.

Lena reached across the table and laid her hand on top of Kara's, drawing the woman's piercing blue eyes to hers, and Lena gave her a reassuring smile wanting to tell her exactly how beautiful and amazing she really was. Lena opened her mouth to speak, but before she could get any words out a middle-aged waitress with dark wavy hair pulled into a messy bun and tussled bangs came and leant on their booth next to Lena, facing Kara.

"So, you're just gonna walk in here and sit down without saying, 'hello,' or anything?" the woman chastised Kara with a hand on her hip. Lena was about to say something snarky back to the rude woman but then she saw Kara's face light up in recognition.

"Margot!" she greeted the older woman, standing up and pulling the waitress into a friendly hug. The woman returned it, her face breaking into a smile as well, all traces of the scowl gone. "It's so good to see you! I didn't know you were working tonight."

"Yeah, well, when am I not working?" Margot retorted sarcastically as they pulled away from one another and the older woman's eyes fell on Lena for the first time. "Well, hello there, didn't think to introduce me to your date?"

Lena felt a warmth spread in her chest at the use of the word and Kara's proud smile in response. She watched as the tell-tale pink flush began at Kara's neck and crept onto her cheeks as she introduced, "Margot, this is Lena Luthor."

During the brief pause, Lena gauged the woman's reaction to her name, but there was none, and Kara continued, "Lena, this is Margot."

Margot nodded down at her and Lena could tell she was someone who was slow to warm up to new people; Lena could definitely empathize, so she merely smiled politely in greeting.

"Should have let me know you were coming so I could warn the kitchen," Margot teased, directing this to Kara who flushed an even deeper red. Lena let out a little laugh because Kara seemed to have a reputation for her appetite every where she went. Now that Lena knew she was Supergirl, she realized that she must burn a lot of calories saving the world.

"Oh, well you know, I'm just keeping you all in business," Kara joked, flopping back down into the booth, clearly self-conscious, which was completely unnecessary as Lena held no judgement.

"No doubt about that," Margot agreed, looking over at Lena now, "I know she's having the chicken and waffles but what can I get you?"

"I think I'll have the same," Lena replied without looking at a menu. Southern comfort food wasn't something she ate very often, but nothing sounded more delicious than the greasy goodness of fried chicken right now with a sweet milkshake, so she added, "and also a chocolate milkshake."

"Let me go put that in for you," Margot straightened up and made her way through the crowd.

Lena turned her full attention back to the blonde across from her, whose cheeks were still tinged with color.

"You're obviously a regular here," Lena stated, a playful smile on her lips that Kara returned with a shy one of her own.

"Uh, yeah, I…," Kara seemed to pause, considering her response. Lena tilted her head as she wondered what was going on inside of the Krytponian's head as Kara's eyes seemed to soften, her body visibly relaxing as she finished her thought, "I like to come here when I need to be reminded why I do what I do."

Lena knew that Kara was referring to her protecting the people of National City as Supergirl. She tilted her head and listened intently as Kara glanced around at the people around them, speaking fondly, "This place reflects National City perfectly, from the homey atmosphere to all the different kinds of people. Not to mention, the food is great for refueling after a particularly strenuous day."

A light laugh escaped Lena's lips at Kara's last statement. She noticed that was one of Kara's habits; she would be vulnerable by speaking genuinely and then feel the need to lighten the mood. It was just one of the many things she loved about Kara.

Kara glanced down for a moment and Lena was able to appreciate her beauty. Kara really was gorgeous. Today, the reporter wore her blonde hair partially pulled back, the rest falling in waves over her shoulders. The locks partially obscured her face but Lena could see the soft curve of her jaw and the content smile on her lips. She wore a grey dress with a navy blue cardigan that somehow hid her lean muscled arms; it was difficult not to remember the feeling of those arms wrapped around her, holding her close.

At that moment, Margot appeared again with two milkshakes in hand, setting them down in front of each of them. They both thanked the older woman, but she stayed, folding her arms across her chest.

"I don't get to see you much anymore. I guess tonight you were able to take a break from saving the world?" Margot's rhetorical question couldn't have come at a worse time. Kara had been in the middle of taking a sip from her milkshake and upon hearing the waitress' words she snorted into it in surprise, spraying the table with drops of milkshake.

Meanwhile, Lena froze, staring fixedly at Margot. Did she know that Kara was Supergirl?

"Wow, well you certainly haven't changed," Margot teased lightly, giving Kara an odd look while she pulled a rag out of her apron pocket and mopped up the table. Kara seemed to visibly relax, and she used her napkin to wipe her own face and glasses, careful not to remove them from her face, Lena noted. "I was just going to ask what new story you were working on but you're a lawsuit waiting to happen, klutz."

Kara laughed awkwardly, and her eyes darted to Lena, who just smiled conspiratorially back at her. Margot had no idea.

"Sorry, yeah, I just finished a piece on the Alien Marriage Equality Act today actually," Kara was able to gather herself and reply after clearing her throat. "Pretty sure it won't save the world or anything."

Margot uncrossed her arms and put her hands on her hips and Lena wondered what her views on aliens were. In National City, like any other city in America, it was still a highly divisive topic. The woman answered her question with an unexpected reply, "Nonsense."

Lena could see Kara's shoulders slump a little at the woman's response thinking she was calling marriage equality rubbish, but she was doing her best to hide it. Anger bubbled to the surface and Lena had the desire to tell this woman off for making Kara feel small when the woman spoke again, "You're changing minds, Kara. If that's not saving the world I don't know what is."

With that, Margot gave Kara's shoulder a gentle squeeze before saying something about their food being out soon and taking her leave once again.

The broad grin had returned to Kara's face once more and nothing made Lena happier.

"She's right, you know," Lena agreed, taking the woman's hand once again on the table. Those blue eyes lifted to hers and Lena had a hard time breathing whenever Kara looked at her like that, like she was the only one in the room, but she managed to continue, "Supergirl may stop the bad guys, but Kara sees the good in them and makes them want to be better. I mean, look at me."

Kara's brow furrowed at that as she argued, "You've always been good."

"Well, sometimes I need a little convincing," Lena countered, with a soft smile. Kara seemed to be searching her eyes for something, the crease in her forehead deepening in thought. It was then Lena had the overwhelming desire to kiss Kara right there in the middle of the diner, but she controlled herself as she could see Margot approaching with their food.

Kara was never good at taking a compliment. Her humility could be as endearing as it was infuriating sometimes, but it was just who Kara was. As Margot set their plates down, Lena thought back to Jack's press conference.

* * *

 _Lena had George waiting outside with the car and he held the door open for them. Kara seemed overly interested in her relationship with Jack Spheer, asking a multitude of questions about their relationship, but Lena just chalked it up to the reporter in Kara._

 _It was a short drive to the National City Civic Center where the press conference was being held, and they quickly made their way inside, Lena fretting about her appearance. She wanted to look good in case she saw Jack, make him regret leaving her._

" _You look great!" Kara assured her._

" _Thank you," Lena replied gratefully. For some reason, it felt unexpectedly good to hear that Kara liked the way she looked. Lena tried not to pick that apart too much as they slid down and aisle and picked a couple of seats in the middle. As Lena was sitting down she saw Snapper, Kara's old boss, one row down and several seats over, give the reporter a withering look._

" _They'll let anyone into these events now," Snapper grumbled and Lena could feel a spark of anger flicker in her chest. No one had the right to talk to Kara like that, especially not this small man._

 _"I'm just here with my friend," she heard Kara reply, adjusting in her seat. She mostly let Kara stand up for herself, knowing this was a battle she needed to fight for herself and right now, she was consumed with trying to catch of glimpse of Jack._

 _"Good. I was starting to worry that a dotcom counted as a press pass," Snapper countered easily, and despite her distraction, Lena could practically feel Kara's hackles going up._

 _"And I was worried that only people born before 1980 read your magazine," came Kara's rather lame comeback. Lena felt for her. Kara didn't have a mean bone in her body so snappy quips weren't really her forte._

 _"That's because we value real news. Not like some click bait millennials. Now, go enjoy the free cheese plate, Ponytail, and let the real reporters report the news," Snapper finished cruelly._

 _Lena gave him a harsh gaze and was about to say something just as nasty back to him, but her eyes met Kara's briefly and she hesitated. Kara was trying hard to look like Snapper's words didn't bother her but they did, Lena could see that. So, then she was going to say something reassuring to Kara but music started playing and press conference was about to begin._

 _It was a lot, for sure. There were strobe lights and smog machines and all kinds of media in the background while the shadow of Jack Spheer walked slowly forward._

 _"Impressive," Lena said with a hint of sarcasm in her voice._

 _"Are we allowed to look him in the eye?" Kara joked, eliciting a short laugh from her. Brushing her hair of her face, Lena turned her attention back to the stage and her ex._

 _"Vaccines, anesthesia, antibiotics," Jack began stiffly, "These are the three medical miracles that ushered us into the modern age."_

 _"And now I will show you how Spheerical Industries will propel us onto the future," Jack continued, before gesturing to his right. "This is Beth Breen, our CFO of Spheerical Industries."_

 _A short, brunette walked out into the stage carrying a metallic ball in both of her hands and she came to stand next to Jack. Lena didn't recognize her. Jack then moved to the podium where lights and camera were set up. Even from her distance from the stage, she watched his face closely and could see he was taking deep breaths, psyching himself up for something._

 _Then Jack took a knife and cut a large gash into his palm. Lena involuntarily cringed, imagining how much that must have hurt, as did the others in the crowd as there was a collective gasp. Jack nodded over to the CFO and she opened the metallic ball, releasing something that she almost didn't see._

 _And then she realized…_

 _"Oh my god, he did it," Lena whispered excitedly to Kara as she witnessed the nanobots healing Jack's self-inflicted hand wound._

 _"This was the project you were working on with Jack?" Kara asked quietly, but Lena didn't take her eyes off the stage._

 _"We were so close in our research, but he finally cracked the code," Lena replied with awe in her voice, throwing a glance to the reporter next to her briefly, unable to hide how impressed she was with this development._

 _"What you have just witnessed is the fourth medical miracle: Biomax," Jack boasted and then his eyes found hers in the crowd, causing him to pause momentarily. She was impressed for sure, but there was more to it than that. There was so much unresolved between them and seeing him brought it all back. Jack seemed to clear his throat and continue, "No longer will we need to inoculate ourselves against disease, risk complications by going under anesthesia, or combat increasingly resistant bacteria with antibiotics. We are proud to launch our Biomax medical nanobot program across National City."_

 _The room filled with applause and when it died down, Jack offered, "I'm happy to answer your questions."_

 _As this was a room full of reporters everyone clamored to be called on for their question. Beside her, Lena could hear Kara saying his name over to beat out Snapper, "Jack! Jack!" Sure enough, Jack pointed to her (probably because she was seated next to Lena, but maybe that was just an assumption) and Kara stood next to her to ask her question._

 _"Kara Danvers with ," she said, with a hint of what sounded like embarrassment before plowing on, "Ah, yes- So- right-."_

 _Lena internally cringed as Kara looked down at her notepad, obviously not having formulated a question in her rush to beat out Snapper. But eventually she was able to start a sentence, "You initially began this project in Metropolis-."_

 _"Snapper Carr, CatCo Media," Kara's old boss shot out of his seat, interrupting Kara. "Jack, with these nanobots do you really expect-."_

 _"If you started development in Metropolis," Kara interrupted him right back, and Lena was proud of her for not letting herself be trampled over by the pompous asshole, "but you're launching in National City are you following FDA regulations for distributing drugs across state lines?"_

 _"Excellent question, Ms. Danvers. I would never compromise the FDA's rigorous standards for safety with any of our medical products."_

 _There were a few other questions by other reporters, but Kara just sat and wrote them in her notepad, content that she had been able to ask her question. When Jack was finished answering questions, everyone filed out of the room, her and Kara taking their time, Kara picking her brain more about how the nanobots worked._

 _"Lena, I'm so glad you came," Jack's voice behind her made her turn around to face her ex._

 _"Yeah, I wouldn't miss it for the world," Lena replied, more nervously than she had intended, as he reached forward and they embraced in a friendly hug. It was weird. When they were together his arms were one of her favorite places to be, but now it just felt lackluster. Her body was still reminded of the sensation of being in Kara's arms; her fall from her balcony at L Corp coming to an unexpected halt when those strong, but almost impossibly gentle arms caught her midair, making her feel safer than she'd ever felt._

 _These thoughts were luckily interrupted by Jack's voice, otherwise Lena would have gone down a rabbit hole she wasn't ready for._

 _"You grilled me," Jack directed this at Kara as he pulled away, pointing a finger at her mock-accusatorily. Lena knew he was just trying to get on the good side of Kara because the reporter was her friend; Jack certainly knew how to charm people._

 _"I did," she replied, looking down at her feet self-consciously for a moment, and Lena had a rush of affection for the reporter. She really was everything Jack wasn't; he was a smooth charmer, and she was awkwardly humble goofball. Lena didn't really know why she was comparing them but decided now was not the time to pick that apart._

 _"This is Kara Danvers, she is one of the best reporters in National City," Lena introduced sincerely, and Kara burst out into embarrassed laughter at the compliment._

 _Telling her jokingly to, "Stop," Kara fiddled nervously with her glasses. Lena gave her a meaningful look and she seemed to get the hint, telling them awkwardly "I should go, actually, I have to go to tell the readers about the next medical breakthrough."_

 _Kara had promptly left them and for some reason Lena immediately wished she had asked her to stay._

* * *

"That was easily the best milkshake I've ever had," Lena sighed contently as she strode out of the diner, Kara holding the door for her once more, a wide grin on her face.

"I'm glad you liked it," the blonde replied happily, falling into stride beside her as they made their way out onto the street. This time Kara reached out for her hand, warmth spreading through Lena's body at the contact.

They began making their way slowly back towards the Metro station, neither of them really interested in the night being over. Eventually though, they were closing in on Lena's building and she was debating inviting the reporter up for a glass of wine when a voice growled behind them,

"Don't move."

Lena froze, as did the Kryptonian beside her. She felt something hard pressed against her lower back and it didn't take much for her to realize that it was the barrel of a gun.

"In the alley, both of you. Move," the low voice ordered, thrusting the gun harder into the small of her back. Out of the corner of her eye, Lena could see the muscles in Kara's jaw clench in barely concealed rage. Lena tried to will the superhero to look over at her but to no avail. Through her hand she could practically feel Kara's muscles coiled, ready to strike.

"I said, move," the man growled, shoving her forward a little.

Kara had released her hand, rounding on him faster than Lena could blink, her fists clenched and she looked as though it was taking all of her willpower not to destroy him. Lena turned too, much more slowly in comparison, coming face to face with the gun, so without taking her eyes from the weapon Lena reached out to Kara, her hand finding her forearm. She needed to keep Kara from revealing herself; it wasn't worth her identity.

If Lena wasn't mistaken, in her peripheral vision she could see the skin around Kara's eyes begin to glow slightly behind her glasses. The gun was now pointed directly at Kara's forehead as the blonde stared fiercely at their would-be attacker.

Heart pounding, Lena squeezed the superhero's forearm as hard as she could, knowing it wouldn't hurt the Kryptonian, but would hopefully get her attention. Kara didn't look at her, but the slight tilt of her head in Lena's direction told her that she felt it, so Lena subtly tugged at Kara' forearm and finally the other woman acquiesced, stepping backwards towards the alley with Lena, never taking her eyes off the man and keeping her body angled in front of her protectively.

In the dim light of the street lamps Lena could just make out the man's features. He was a heavy-set man with short curly brown hair and dark eyes that were a little too close together. She knew who this was; this was Otis, one of her brother's many loyal henchmen.

They were now all in the relative cover of the alley and he continued to point the gun back and forth from her to Kara. Lena's hand slid down from Kara's forearm to her hand, knowing that if the Kryptonian really wanted to do something, Lena's feeble hand wasn't going to stop her, but it was something to keep them both anchored.

Lena was going to do everything in her power to keep Kara from revealing her identity as Supergirl though. If Otis really was still working for Lex or Lillian, then they probably had some terrible plan to kill the alien. The one thing that gave her hope was that, if she remembered correctly, Otis wasn't the smartest person in the world, so there was a good chance he hadn't recognized Kara yet.

"What do you want?" Kara snarled at Otis, her voice definitely the no-nonsense tone of Supergirl.

Even in the darkness the gun was close enough to her that Lena could see that the safety was still on. Also, Otis' shaking hand betrayed his fear. He didn't want to do this but his loyalty to Lex was strong despite how poorly her brother treated him.

Lena began formulating a plan in her head and she wished one of Kara's powers was mind reading because she really needed Kara to keep her identity a secret from this man.

"I don't know who you are, but I'm here for Ms. Luthor, so- so you just keep your mouth shut if you want to live," he stuttered back, shifting the gun to Kara, which was probably Kara's preference. This just confirmed Lena's suspicion; Otis had no idea that he was pointing a gun at Supergirl. Lex must really be desperate if he was sending this bumbling fool. Corben had been a much more formidable opponent as was her own mother.

"Otis, you don't want to do this," Lena told him softly, and the gun snapped to point at her causing Kara to step in more fully in front of her, blue eyes glaring icily at the henchman.

"How…?" he mumbled, and Lena could see the shimmer of sweat on his broad forehead. He was obviously surprised she knew his name, but he really shouldn't be.

Lena took a bit of a risk and made to step towards the henchman, her free hand up to show she meant him no harm. This made Kara bristle and the Kryptonian kept a firm grasp on her hand, preventing her from moving away from her.

"Lena," Kara hissed, her eyes wide with fear and confusion, but Lena did her best to assure her with a look.

Lena gave Kara's hand one final squeeze before she pulled away. She could feel Kara's reluctance to let her move any closer, but she released her nonetheless. Lena took another cautious step forward, her eyes fixed on the man in front of her.

"Otis, how could I forget you? You've always been the most loyal to the Luthors," Lena said, using the oily voice she usually reserved for investors. If there was one thing Luthors were good at it was the art of manipulating the weak. Lena wasn't proud of using it on him, but it would ultimately save him from Kara's wrath and save Kara from revealing her identity.

The gun lowered slightly as Lena approached, coming within arm's length of the henchman.

"You-you need to come with me. Mrs. Luthor is waiting," Otis stuttered and grabbed her arm, pulling her towards him. He stood behind her and held the gun to her head.

Kara's reaction was immediate; the Kryptonian made to move forward, but, unwisely, Otis pointed the gun at Kara and barked, "Stay back!"

"You heard the man. Stay back," Lena repeated quickly, giving the superhero a meaningful look as she reached down into her purse silently. Kara's brow was furrowed in confusion but she trusted her and made no further forward movement.

Lena's fingers landed on what she was searching for: the taser. With Otis' gun still pointed at Kara, Lena whipped the taser out, spun to face the man, and pressed the electrodes to his neck in one swift motion.

The sound of electricity shooting through his body cut through the relative quiet and the flash lit up the alley. He went down hard, groaning on the pavement before going silent, unconscious but very much alive.

Kara was in front of her in an instant, her hands coming to her shoulders as her eyes gave her a once over- presumably using her x-ray vision to check for injuries.

"Lena, you could've been killed," Kara's voice was pressured, fear still coursing through her. Lena could see now that the immediate crisis was over Kara had allowed herself to feel everything. Her chest heaved as she tried to catch her breath, her eyes searching Lena's for answers.

"You could've been killed too," Lena countered, bending down and picking up the gun to show Kara the side. "For one, the safety was on the entire time and…," she bent down once more, searching his pockets until her hands landed on the rough surface, confirming her suspicions. She pulled the bright green rock.

"Kryptonite? I knew I didn't feel right," Kara said, eyes wide as her veins became a spider web of luminescent green under her pale skin.

Lena shoved the gun and kryptonite into her own purse. "He didn't know who you were… Lillian and, I presume, Lex, both know your identity, so why didn't he? Something was off about this."

"What do you mean?" Kara asked, now that the Kryptonite was out of immediate sight the green retreating from her veins.

"I'm not sure, but I feel like they have something else planned," Lena replied thoughtfully. Kara didn't question any further, just slipping her arms around her shoulders and pulling Lena as close as she could. Lena sunk into the embrace, burying her face into Kara's shoulder, her own arms wrapping around the other woman's narrow waist.

Her mind was working a mile a minute but it kept coming back to one thought: she was putting Kara in danger. People were always going to be going after Supergirl simply for who she was, but being with a Luthor was only going to increase the risk. Lena was only trying to be logical, so why did it feel like her heart being crushed in her chest. Keeping her expression as neutral as she could, Lena said into Kara's shoulder, "It's not too late, you know."

Kara pulled back slightly, keeping her hands on Lena's shoulders, giving her a questioning look as she asked, "Not too late for what?"

"For you to call this off," Lena told her, gesturing between them as she explained. "The Luthors know who you are… you'll never be safe with me."

Lena smiled sadly up into Kara's clear blue eyes. She had lost so many people just because she was a Luthor and she wasn't prepared to lose Kara too. If putting some distance between them kept her safe then that's what she would do.

The Kryptonian frowned at her, those sapphire eyes making Lena lose her resolve, "I told you I'm not going anywhere, in fact-," Kara slid her hands down Lena's arms to hold her hands, "I think I should stay at your place tonight. You might be right, they could be sending someone else to come after you and I want to be there when they do."

Lena reached up and laced her fingers into the hair on the back of Kara's head, pulling her down and kissing her soundly. Kara was right of course. Whatever was coming they needed to face together, but Lena would do anything to keep Kara safe. Even if it meant killing her own mother.

* * *

 **A/N: This chapter was definitely a challenge to write and I'm still not 100% happy with it, but it's essential for building where I'm going. Though still debating whether I should continue as with season 3 out, there's definitely not as much as interest, I'm sure, in this little story. But I suppose as long as there are people reading and work isn't killing me, I'll keep writing. :) This chapter is named after another Tegan and Sara song because they give me life. I hope you guys liked this chapter. Let me know what you think and as always thanks for reading!**


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